Book IV: What Fate took from Embry
by tdfireproof
Summary: This is my side project but if you're reading this you should have already read "Some day the dream will end" and "first day without a sun" it's a darker story about Embry
1. Shattered hope

**Disclaimer: whose got two thumbs and isn't Stephenie Meyer… This guy**

**Disclaimer Deuce: I have changed some parts of the story to better fit in with the story I just wrote, brownie points if you can find one, and this Disclaimer doesn't count**

**Embry's POV**

_Why am I here?_ I thought angrily at myself. _Because you need to meet her, you need to see her, you need to know every night you dreamed of her wasn't fake. You need to know she's real._ The fact that she hadn't talked to me for two months had pushed me pretty hard, nothing had been easy since Leah broke up with me ten months ago, last October. My self worth was at an all time low. I guess that was a consequence of falling in love. D was the only thing that kept me sane all this time. I wanted to talk to Leah but she had venomously fought against it. She said Leah broke my heart and all she'd do it hurt me more. She was right but I never had the will to stay away, not until she came along and changed me. Not until she helped me believe in myself. Then I fell in love with her. She treated me better then Leah ever did. I'd seen a picture of her but not in person, so I was just going off that. I had concealed my features in a large trench coat. Not just any trench coat though. It was the same trench coat with two three bullet holes in the back from exiting bullets. I was wearing this trench coat when she dug a bullet out of me. I was surprised she was only two years older than me and she was a nurse? I had just finished my junior year in high school, but that couldn't be helped. I was twenty going on twenty one in march and I was a junior in high school. This girl was twenty two nearly twenty four. D was smart though, she could read people. She could read what I was thinking by reading my messages, it was the scariest thing I could imagine, Edward could read my mind, but in the end I wasn't in love with Edward Cullen, but the way she could read everything thought, it was uncanny. She said she was good at reading people, and she was going in to psychology. I loved her to death but she scared me shitless some times.

I had to travel across the country for this but this was something I needed. I parked my very nice car a couple blocks away, I left my drumsticks and pad in the trunk along with anything else I would need in the near future. Jasper I found out has connections everywhere, including some people who are very good with computers, when I asked why he simply said 'in this age you need to protect yourself' he had people who were experts with computers telling him if people were looking the Cullen's up in case it became a problem. He simply asked them to track down D for me with the limited information I had. I truly believed it'd be hard for them but apparently not, they had her full name and address in an hour.

Here I stood in front the apartment building with crumpled piece of paper in hand. I took a deep breath and summoned my courage taking my first steps across the street. A came flying by and I turned in time just fast enough to know to jump back. I sighed continuing my way across the street. The apartment door was locked. That wasn't going to stop me this time. I grabbed my backpack from the car and raced across posing as a student at the nearby college. I followed a gaunt man holding groceries in to the hall. A woman gave me a suspicious look then turned back away. I dismissed it and headed towards the stairs. I skipped three steps at a time bounding up to the second floor. I stared at her door for a couple minutes, my throat dry, my palms sweating. Eventually my nerves got to me and I started pacing. How was I suppose to sell this.

_Hey D I was in the neighborhood so I thought I'd look you up even though I didn't know where you live? Hey D I know you're kind of worried and shit but I thought I'd stalk you and find out where you live. Hey D you mind if I step in and talk to you even though you never told me where you live? D, how are you, oh just thought I'd stop in._ No there was no right way to do this. I saw a window from the outside and saw there was a guy in the room with who I knew was D, that didn't make it any easier. I told myself it was one of her brothers, Nick, or maybe it was Carter. I was much more worried about Nick the computer genius then Carter the muscled brother, both seemed content on keeping guys away from her. I had no clue who was in there but regardless I was frustrated. I turned toward the wall and clenched my fist and punched the brick. I heard a soft crack and then a tiny piece of brick fell to the ground. My hand was resonating in pain. At that moment the door behind me opened and I heard a command.

"Hands up. Don't move!" I heard a male voice yell. I did as I was told. The person I only assumed was an officer didn't say another word until he was closer to me.

"You got an ID?" I smiled and shook my head he took my hand and handcuffed my left arm then pulled my right down and handcuffed me.

"What charges are you bringing me in on?" he had a smug smile on his face like he thought he stopped a real threat.

"Domestic disturbance." At that moment the door I was watching opened softly and D came out with her hand intertwined with the guy who was in the room. My body rippled up and down in pain. My stomach left a hallow feeling like everything inside me was gone, just a gaping abyss where my midsection was. The weight of their judgmental glances told me that my chances were better off on the road. D looked me in the eye and I returned it, I hadn't ever seen her eyes besides in a picture so I couldn't read them, I couldn't know what she was thinking.

"D, open that window at the end of the hallway." I said in a monotone voice. She looked at me inquisitively. The officer pushed me slightly but not nearly enough to get me to move.

"You're going to want to pull out your gun when it happens… not your tazer." I told him my body was on fire with anger and I had decided to leave. My anger flared slightly and I broke the chain between the handcuffs easily turning back to the officer. He pulled out his tazer and shot catching on my chest. I stopped for a moment as the electricity coursed through my veins then I took two steps forward and put a hand on the officers shoulder until he dropped to the ground and released the trigger. I removed the hooks from my chest and turned to D and sighed.

"I told you to open the window." I informed her regretfully. The officer was making his way back to a vertical base and I started to jog then ran to the end of the hall way jumping clear out of the window, through the glass. As I dropped a story I rolled on to the street and then back up to my feet and looked back the way I came. D was looking out the window staring at me in disbelieve. I returned her stare, with much more anger and resentment. Then without removing my focus from her I pulled a large shard of glass out of my shoulder.

"I loved you… how could you do this to me?" I asked. Before she could answer I turned and ran down the street turning in to an alley I walked through a mall and I stopped in to a coffee shop. I examined then pulled out a newspaper and covered my face reading the local column. After a couple hours I returned to my car and drove it across town to a double garage storage facility. I rented the place out for one month on cash. I made my way to the local furniture outlet and picked up a mattress, no frame. I bought a pillow for neck support. I brought both to my garage and set it up next to my car. I didn't know what I was planning on doing but I did know I didn't want to be found I didn't want to deal with anything or anyone. I reached down and looked at my phone as I made my decision, it sprang to life and rang. I sighed turning the power off the cell phone and putting it in the trunk of my car. I sprawled out on my bed and stared up at the stucco ceiling and the shade it threw on itself. There wasn't a single power outlet. Of course there wasn't, no one was supposed to live here. I laid on my new bed thinking, the only thing I shouldn't be doing now.

What's all this mean? I loved her, who was the guy? Why was he here? Is this why she said she wanted to be with me but couldn't right now? Was it because of him? I couldn't sit and think, I needed to keep moving I needed to get out of here. My heart couldn't endure the thoughts that were clicking in to my mind. I put the key to the door on my keychain and made my way outside. I flipped my collar up on my trench coat to cover my chin and mouth. I pulled up the hood. I looked west. I had no destination in mind. Just get the hell out of dodge. For now that meant going west, or south. Either one sounded good right now. I double checked all the shards of glass were out of me. They were so I headed south west. No destination and my only reason was to get away.

**So there is my first chapter, I've got ideas where it's going and stuff. I hope people enjoy it, but if people don't I'm sorry. Like I said the story is going to have love as one of its larger themes but it's not going to have everything to do with it. as always rolls of twenty dollar bills, ideas comments reviews… I'm out.**


	2. Her story

**Disclaimer: Mein Hosa sind auf dem feuer, what's that got to do with Stephenie Meyer? Nothing really… yeah still not her.**

**Disclaimer Deuce: every step that I take is just another mistake to you.**

**Jacob's POV**

I smiled looking in to Ness' eyes. They radiated a beauty so many people saw, but only I could appreciate. She squinted out looking for the Car we took here. Edward and Bella had finally approved of us going on a trip to Disney World. We were only gone for twelve days but Bella was still worried. I loved her as a best friend but sometimes she worried about the most absurd things. Her daughter was nearly invincible, and was also here to protect her. More than anything Edward didn't like the fact that we were dating, he didn't understand, but no one outside of the pack would understand, hell even Embry wouldn't understand. I tried not to worry about him though, my worrying wouldn't help anything just make things worse. He didn't take the break up with Leah well, for the next couple months he snapped on everyone, including Esme. He quickly apologized and left, running just trying to get away, he'd closed all of us off. He started talking to a girl he'd met through his _escapades_ it wasn't anything wrong it just seemed like a long shot, no one would tell him that though, he was okay, he was more than okay, he was happy. He tried to hide the pain of missing Leah but he'd gotten back up to being himself with this new girl. I hoped him nothing but the best.

I wrapped my warm arm around Ness and brought her closer to me for a one arm hug. She wrapped both her arms around my waist and squeezed tightly pressing her face in to my side. Without asking I grabbed her arm and pulled her up to riding on my back. Her arms naturally wrapped softly around my neck. She leaned softly in to my shoulder then kissed my neck softly. I smiled but felt my cell phone ringing in my pocket. Ness reached in my pocket and handed it to me letting go and sliding her feet back to the ground. I flipped my phone open, it was Alice.

"Hey Alice what's up?"

"Embry's gone missing." She said fearfully. There was no sense of humor in her voice.

"What?" I asked not believing what I heard.

"Something went wrong I don't know, but you're the closest one to where he was." I was trying to get a hold of something then realized as I was sprinting to the car I had no destination.

"Wait, where was he?"

"Chesapeake, Virginia." Ness got to the car first and started it.

"You drive fast, I'll watch for the police officers." Ness said as I closed the phone.

* * *

**Renesmee's POV**

So this was the place, Alice had given us better directions and now we stood in front of an apartment. Jacob was rippling in anger. I had convinced him to wait near the stairwell and I'd figure out what went wrong, the last thing we needed was Jacob scaring the shit out of whoever this girl was. I smiled to myself, my big puppy scared the shit out of people. I knocked on the door softly putting on my calm façade. The door opened softly and a beautiful woman opened it slowly, as if being careful, her eyes were piercingly green, her skin was a soft brown color. I couldn't read her eyes well, but it looked like a little piece of guilt was somewhere in there she only opened the door enough to see through it.

"Who are you?" she said not opening the door anymore.

"I'm looking for Embry, can you tell me anything?" she pulled her face back and tried to shut the door but I moved my fingers in the way and the door slammed on my fingers, I feigned pain but in reality it didn't hurt whatsoever.

"Damn, ouch why'd you slam the door on my fingers!?" I yelled as she opened the door all the way. I gripped my fingers tightly so she couldn't see there was no swelling or even mark. She ushered me in apologizing.

"Can I see your fingers?" I shook my fingers pretending that they hurt too much but honestly it wouldn't do if she found out there was nothing to it. I used ill begotten anger on her.

"What did you do to Embry, why did he run away!" I yelled at her. She was taken aback and then a male who was over six feet tall came out of the next room and tried to intimidate me.

"Leave D alone." He crossed his arms. I wasn't intimidated I smirked at him.

"Who are you anyway his new girl?" I smiled at the hinted jealousy I heard in her voice.

"Yeah that's exactly who I am, and apparently a better woman then you ever were." The man took a step forward and to stand between us and his eyes burned with anger. I laughed as I heard Jacob coming up the stairs. I reached behind me and opened the door.

**D's POV**

The door opened and for a split second I saw him, but no this guy wasn't as muscular and not quite as tall but they definitely were similar. I could only assume he was Embry's brother. He wrapped both his arms around the girl whose name I still didn't have. He growled fiercely. The man who had been protecting me wavered in front of me.

"These two been trouble Ness?" the girl known as Ness shook her head smiling giddily at large man. I felt like a bitch, she wasn't Embry's new girl, he didn't have a new girl.

"No Jacob, they just don't want to tell us where your brother went." So it was as I thought, he was Embry's brother, they sure looked it. I didn't mean to slam the door on her fingers, I didn't know who she was, besides I wanted to try and move past Embry, not remember him. Something clicked in my head.

"Did you say Embry ran away?" I said realizing what this was really about. I was shocked, I didn't want him hurt. I knew I still loved him, more then he could know, more then I'd let him know. I didn't want him hurt. I turned back to walk to the kitchen beckoning Ness behind me, she followed me and the two guys stood awkwardly staring at each other.

"What do you know about Embry?" I looked down at the ground sheepishly. Was I supposed to tell her everything about our relationship? I looked up back at her and she seemed to understand, she looked younger than me but she seemed to be very smart.

"Oh I meant like where he went." I blushed and returned her look. I thought for a moment and didn't remember anything he said, definitely not about where he was going.

"He didn't say he was going… just he…" I stopped midsentence… the way he looked at me the words he said, I tried to forget them all. The pain in his eyes… that pain from those same loving eyes I'd stared at in his pictures. His beautiful brown eyes that looked so innocent, so pure. I felt the uncomfortable warm feeling before tears and I stopped myself, I wouldn't cry, I won't. I need to move on. Embry lives in a different world then me. _How could I ask him to come live near me? His family loves him in Minnesota, they came to me to find him. How could I ever even ask him to stay with me, stay near me? _No matter how much it hurt I knew this was what was best for both of us. _Both of us or just you?_ I ignored the question in my mind and refocused.

"D, D are you okay?" Ness shook me out of my thoughts. I looked away. I was too strong to cry, I didn't cry. Crying was for little girls. I wasn't going to cry, especially over someone I let go. _Why did I let him go?_ I knew I felt like I was holding him back, I'm sure he didn't feel that way, but I did. My hands trembled and Ness closed the distance between us.

"You still have feelings for him don't you?" I gulped slowly I couldn't say it out loud. I nodded very slightly. I wanted to say I was okay but was he really missing because of me? He went missing because of me? I wanted him to move on, he'd be better for it, I knew it'd hurt but we couldn't ever be together this far away. I didn't think I could leave my family, Carter and Nick and Sam were knuckle heads but I love my brothers and I couldn't leave my mother or father either. And how he talked about his family he couldn't leave them either, I couldn't make him choose. I needed to let go before it hurt either one of us anymore. I felt like I'd had this argument in my head a thousand times. Every time logically I came to the agreement that I made the right choice, there was just too much going against us.

Ness left the room and Jacob followed she stopped short and Jacob stopped quickly to avoid running in to her. His eyes followed Ness' to the broken window. They ran towards it. Jacob looked closer and broke off a piece of glass he inspected it and I saw a small piece of fabric in his hand. He smelled it.

"Embry was here…" he paused for a moment then looked back at me.

"He jumped out of the window didn't he?" I nodded wondering how he deduced that. I nodded and he laughed.

"That's Embry for you… always has to have and exit." I began to explain then stopped short. Jacob's eyes turned back to me.

"Well he had to… he was running from a cop." Jacob laughed walked back the way he came.

"He's always in trouble isn't he." Ness said to Jacob. Jacob nodded. Ness and Jacob ran down the stairs. Ness turned back and looked back up the stairs at me.

"Oh and there will be more people coming, at least two or three more people coming by."

**I do realize that was a short chapter… Deal with it :-p. I don't know how soon I can write again I should be doing Journalism but I was writing, so you better all review and say you love it. well I'm going to call it night early so I can do my journalism homework in the morning. For those who don't know, I'm and Uncle for the first time, he's awesome. High fives, knucks, ideas, rolls of twenty dollar bills, all that jazz**


	3. If

**Disclaimer: If I was Stephenie Meyer there would be hordes of fan girls all like "zo my gosh! I want the next update" as is, I am not her**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Some days you're dog, some days you're the fire hydrant, guess which one I've been for the last week (Embry: Where I lay my head is home, see that rock? That's my pillow)**

**Embry's POV**

I Looked around me and for a second took in the scenery. The was beautiful fall in Minnesota. The leaves fell together and separately. The beautiful designs were lost on in my eyes, my focus elsewhere. As to be expected, all I could find here was couples, everyone seemed happy, content whereas I couldn't see the sun, but the sun itself was bright it had gone nowhere but what it symbolized to me was gone. I moved quickly to get out of the way of a man carrying deep fried squid. And moved left out of the way of a man with chocolate covered bacon, yep, I was at the Minnesota state fair all right. Another person bumped my shoulder walking by with I could only guess, on a stick. And then I saw a large sign for Pickles on a stick. _Why the hell is everything on a stick here?_ I asked myself. As I expected I was lonely. I needed people but I didn't need just anyone, having Jasper here to make me feel better, Jacob, Emmett… none of them would make the pain go away. They were worried about me though, I was on my way back, I stopped by for the day, one last time before I went back home, to the place where I belonged. I just needed to be alone, the Cullens would be the perfect family again because that's what they were. They were the perfect family. They did nothing wrong, hell even Edward was coming around. _Holy shit, don't let him know you thought that._ I thought to myself making a mental checklist. To think that I was okay was crazy… I was fine. Earlier I had ordered a foot long corn dog, and yes it was on a stick. I had stopped by the 'Kare 11 news stand' looking for something to entertain me but nothing did, it wasn't for lack of material but rather because my mind was elsewhere, always elsewhere. Nothing here could hold my attention. Nothing could distract me from the pain in my heart. _Maybe it was time I went back home_. Yes that's where I'd go. I made my way to a smaller stage where a four person acapella group was singing. I stopped for a moment to listen to them speak before their show.

"This next song is an odd song, because you hear a lot of country songs about their woman leaving you, their dog running away, you know the normal country stuff. This is a revenge country song." I stopped in my tracks to hear what exactly he meant. They 'tuned up' which was this horrible sound they made that I knew from playing music had nothing at all to do with tuning. I smiled at their sound, it was country.

"If you were a nose I would not pick you  
and if you were a stamp I would not lick you  
and if you were a letter I would send you far away so I'd never have to see your ugly face  
and if you were a dog I'd probably kick you  
and if you were a booger I would flick you!  
and if you were a car I would crash you in to a tree and maybe then you'd stay away from me

OH you're the most unattractive person that I've ever met  
your breath smells like you drank from a toilet  
I'd like to strap you to a rocket and shoot you to the sun and watch you burn, that would be fun

if you were a pop I would not drink you  
and if you was a thought I would not think you  
and if you were a kidney stone you'd probably never pass, you're nothing but a pain in the.... neck  
if you were a song I would not sing you  
and if you were a bell I would not ring you...  
and if you were a drum I would take a stick and beat you in the face... rat a tat tat

Oh you're the most unattractive person that I've ever seen  
your head is fat on top of that you're mean  
why don't you go and dig a hole and bury yourself alive... that would make me happy"

I smiled as the song ended. Yes it was quite a song, one I'd remember. The group finished the song and waved farewell after thanking people for coming out and told the name of their group, Four Shadow. The name was familiar I had heard it somewhere before. I had no desire to stay much longer so I headed out,

I had no form of transportation so I was going to walk until I got out of the cities. I left the State Fair and headed north, not knowing much of where I was going just that it was north. This might scare some people, but very few things scared me anymore, and one of them wasn't dark alleys, nor was the fact I was being followed by six large men who were talking about jumping me for the last couple of minutes. I think they'd gathered enough time to make a strategy to take me down. People like this deserved what they would inevitably get. They saw me as a challenge, not as a rich man, they wanted to prove they were stronger, bigger, that they could take on someone who looked as dangerous as me. At six feet nine inches tall I could do very little to hide my muscle. I smiled they followed the wrong man, and I wasn't particularly forgiving today. I took a turn in to a dark alley I knew was unlit, they laughed behind me as approached the mouth of the alley behind me. They blocked off my exit and I still hadn't turned around to face them. I knew they carried weapons, I scoured the alley for one of my own and found it.

Leaning up against the dumpster was a shovel, it was spade shaped metal ended without a plastic handle on the opposite end. It looked strong and sturdy, it would do the trick. I slid my foot under the shovel then kicked it up to my hands and spun around facing my pursuers. I smirked evilly.

"Look what we have here, this might be fun boys" the person I could only assume was their leader. He was no taller than six foot and carried a chain. I estimated he didn't weigh anymore than 200 pounds. Without wiping the smirk off my face I responded.

"Yeah, you want to turn around and walk away before I beat the shit out of you." Once again the leader laughed. I shrugged out of my trench coat dropping it to the ground. Two of the guys took a step back. The leader laughed.

"There are six of us." He said looking back to the other guys who seemed to be shaking. I smirked lowering my shovel in to a ready position.

"So get six more of you and we'll have an even fight." He laughed before whipping his chain at me. I moved the top half of the shovel to block it and the chain wrapped around the end. I caught a hold of the chain after it wrapped around and yanked him towards me. He fell to his knees at my feet and I flipped the shovel hitting him in the back of the head with the metal part of the shovel. His arms buckled then he fell on his face in the alley. _He's not getting up any time soon_.

"Holy shit, call the police we need to get some help." I didn't turn to hear who it was but the sound was coming from outside the alleyway. If cops showed up this could be trouble.

"Hah, which ones?" I laughed for a moment, he didn't know if I needed the help or the other guys. I thought to myself. My attention turned back to the other five as two charged at me, one holding a metal pipe the other with a knife. I ducked under a high swing from the pipe and stepped past him and kicked him away so I could deal with the one with the knife by himself. He swung over head and I caught the blade middle of the wood part of the shovel, his knife stuck in to it as he tried to pull it out at first. I took a prep step and kicked him backwards sending him in to his three other friends. I watched him knock over two more people leaving one standing. I got prepared myself for the two in front of me. They laughed for a moment , but I couldn't tell why.

A strong pain spread from the back of my spine. Falling to my hands and knees I felt the repeated assault of metal on my back. I felt another punch from one of the other two men attacking me. I put my right knee on the ground and got up to one knee delivering a strong open hand uppercut to one of the two without a weapon. He was lifted in to the air by the impact of the blow and landed on the ground in front of me. I fell on my face again after a hard hit to my spine by the metal pipe. I ignored the pain and looked him in the eye as he raised the pipe above his head. I got to my knees then charged at him burying my shoulder in to his stomach. My arms wrapped around him and I lifted and rammed him in to the wall. He winced in pain and dropped the pipe. I didn't let go and slammed him against the ground letting him go.

I looked back only three left to deal with, the one I'd kicked had made his way back to standing and had lined up next to his other friends. The one on the left took two steps forward and then swung with a strong hook I ducked caught his arm then directed his momentum over my left shoulder. He flew through the air a foot before landing on his back and I focused on the other two in front of me. Of the two the one on right took a step forward and pulled a large knife out of his pocket, he charged with the blade backwards in his hand for a slash against my shoulder, this guy at least had an idea what he was doing. I caught he right arm with my left hand then connected with my right against the side of his jaw, pain ripped in to my hand he started to fall but his grip on his knife didn't falter, I hit the top of his wrist then the bottom at the same time and his hand released. I caught the knife in midair and spun it between my fingers turning it so the blunt end was facing up, as my assailant did. I did mine for a different reason though. I knew no matter how many people there were. If I was the one who was slashing people up I was going to be the attacker not the defender. The man I took the knife from got up quickly and wrapped the unsharpened side of the knife across his throat. He stopped dead in his tracks. He swung his elbow hitting me in the stomach a quick slit my breath slid away then I reached between his arm and body sliding my arm up and catching my other hand in a half nelson keeping my knife across his throat, even though I left a small trail of blood. The other man charged at me and without letting go of my half nelson I hit him against the brink wall then tossed him in the full nelson against the wall behind me. His shoulder and head hit first. I tossed the knife to the side.

The man charging me pulled his arm back for an obvious punch. He swung and I caught his fist in the palm of my hand and squeezed it. He winced in pain and swung with his other arm, I easily blocked it away then open palm slapped him on the chest then grabbed him by the throat. Lifting him by his throat I pushed his body against the wall. I held him in place realizing the guy I tossed over my shoulder was getting back up. He grabbed the metal pipe and swung it at me, threw a kick that blocked the pipe knocking his weapon out of his hand. My I tried to kick him away with a side kick, but while holding the other guy against the wall with my other arm I couldn't get much power, regardless he went down. Pain shot in to my bicep holding the man up my strength faltered. I dropped him to the ground but tried to hold my grip, I turned to see a knife in the side of my arm. I gave a painful squeeze of his neck with my hand ignoring the pain searing in my arm. I pulled the knife out of my arm spinning it in my good hand and hit him in the temple with the blunt end of my knife. His body crumpled as I dropped my knife and caught him by his collar. I alone was holding his weight up. As anger burned in me I tossed him over my head with both arms his body flew against the wall upside down and landed on his neck. _He's not getting up any time soon._

I turned my attention on the last man standing. I ignored the burning in my right bicep and slowly and methodically stalked my last assailant. He put his arms up in a defensive position throwing a boxing straight punch I slid to the left and snapped a round house kick to his gut bending him over. I looked over to the dumpster realizing the door was open on the top. I smirked to myself my left arm grabbed his shirt and pulled him up to a standing form. I reared back and then slammed my forehead in to the bridge of his nose shattering it. Both his hands shot up to his face to protect his nose. With my bad arm I gripped the top of his pants. I was very angry, and not so much at these people but angry in general, this one wouldn't cause me anymore trouble but that wasn't good enough. I spun my hips and used momentum and threw him in to the open door of the dumpster, dropping him in to it and the door on top of him.

My body was still tight with anger coursing in and outside. My fists were clenched next to me. This anger wasn't for them it was for me, for him. It wasn't about them, I could have gotten away from them, why didn't I? I knew the answer though, I needed this. It felt good to be in control. It felt good to feel pain, physical pain, I didn't need any other sort of pain, that kind of pain I dealt with daily. There still was a lot of blood coming out of my arm. I reached down at the leader still holding the chain. I ripped his shirt off and tightly knotted his shirt around my right bicep. I heard a couple groans from the ground but no one was getting up too fast, and none wanted to go a second round with me. I heard a police car screech to a halt behind me and the officer ran out of the car with his gun out. I tried not to see the amusement in the situation but I failed and smirked anyway. While he stared dumbfounded at the scene that had taken place I bent over and picked up my trench coat. Slowly as to not make any quick movements I put my trench coat back on. The officer stared at me.

"Drop your weapons." He said not quite ready to point a weapon of his at me looking at the scene behind me.

"Sir, I have no weapons." The police officer shook his head in disbelief.

"So you're telling me that you took out five armed men without a single weapon." I shrugged with a cocky air to myself.

"Actually six, there's one in the dumpster too." He holstered his weapon and looked at me with open hands.

"Well I'm going to need to have you come in for questions." I shook my head softly. In response to his statement, there was no way I was going to answer why I could beat the shit out of six people.

"I'm sorry officer but I'll need to decline." He shook his head,

"It wasn't a request." He said turning his back and using his radio.

"Yes this is Officer Brigins, I'm going to need a couple cars at…" he didn't finish He turned around to see me running in to the alley. I leapt on to the dumpster I threw one of the guys in. then I stepped and jumped off the edge of the dumpster barely catching the edge of windowsill. I could have jumped in but I wanted to at least make it look humanly possible. I pulled myself up and my right arm scream in pain and I let go with my right holding tight with my left. I pulled myself up exclusively with my left arm but let my right arm hold on for balance. I assessed the building I was in, it was an apartment. I went out the front door and down the hall to the end of the hall. I opened the window and stepped out of the fire escape. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could I reached the roof and heard cop cars in the distance. I looked around me and saw the roof of a building one floor lower than the one I was on. I exhaled slowly and sprinted as fast as I could to the edge of the roof planting my foot on the ledge then leaping as hard as I could. I flew through the air clearing the street and landing on the next roof as a rolled up to my feet. I ignored the pain in my spine from the roll and got running again. This time I slid down a drain pipe and jogged three blocks in the opposite direction before looking back to see if the police officers had moved.

They were searching the same building to find where I was hiding in there. I made my decision and started heading south again, this time I'd actually go south west. I looked up to the skies and sighed softly. I was running away again, I would tell myself it wasn't because it's what I wanted but I wasn't ready for the Cullens. _I'm sorry guys, but I need more time._

**Yeah so I just finished tonight due to one reviewers persistence over a third of my chapter is a fight scene, I liked it but I plan to go darker next time… hmm maybe a bit more gore… well Thanks for your reviews… So please leave me comments, reviews, idea's, rolls of 20 dollar bills. And review shaped love**


	4. We didn't start the fire

**Disclaimer: You see I'm not a monster… I'm just ahead of the curve. (and also Not Stephenie Meyer)**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Well this update took a while, there is a reason for that… I was over half way done with it and it all got deleted so it was very hard for me to get writing again… but it was because of reviewers I got writing again… I've read every review for this story many times like I've read all my reviews many times.**

**Jaspers POV**

We arrived at the door, 137 on the apartment floor. This was the room that Jacob told us about. Emmett was next to me. Rosalie and Alice were traveling together looking for Embry, Emmett and I were trying to find some real clues to where he went and why. All we knew is it most likely had to do with this girl. Embry was emotional like that. That wasn't an insult though. I admired how he lived with his heart on his sleeve he never let his mind think for his heart. It was rare to find someone so hurt but regardless press forward. Emmett interrupted my train of thought by knocking on the door. My eyes turned to him and I scolded him silently. I didn't like going in to places without a plan.

"It's more fun that way." He shot at me so quietly no one else would hear him. He picked up all that from my eyes and knowing me for a long time. The door opened and a blond who looked to be in her early twenties, and definitely not Native American. She didn't fit the description at all, Emmett and I both came to that assessment. Jacob must have given us the wrong door number.

"Hi, who are you?" she said smiling from ear to ear, and in that moment I could feel she definitely thought Emmett was hot, I tried to hide my amusement, it didn't take Emmett long to figure it out how she was looking at him.

"We must have the wrong door, I'm sorry to bug you." I said turning away Emmett followed my lead giving her an apologetic smile. She ran in front of us.

"wa wait, who are you looking for?" it took all I could muster to keep a straight face. Emmett answered the question for me since I was putting all my effort in to not laughing.

"A girl named D, roughly 5'10-ish, native American ethnicity, short black hair, green eyes." He rattled off without watching the girl in front of us. She actually looked older then Emmett, even though he was well past half a century old.

"D? she's my roommate, you two want to come in? she's in the shower." I nodded and Emmett followed me in to the apartment. It was a nice looking place. I heard the shower running, truly it was a bad idea for her to let us in, but I suppose if we wanted to we could have attacked her either way, she wasn't very prepared in that mindset.

"Would either of you like something to eat?" Emmett smiled showing his teeth slightly.

"No thanks, we just ate." I smirked, yes we had just ate before we left for this trip. The shower turned off. She extended her hand to Emmett and he covered his hands.

"It's a cold day my hands a freezing,"

"Well my name is Blaze." Emmett nodded.

"My name is Emmett, this is Jasper." She turned on the news it was a story about a Fire in Tucson. It was a large fire in an apartment. I turned my attention to the woman who was dressed with wet hair at the door, she matched Jacob's description it had to be D. She turned to us then back to Blaze and whispered _"We need to talk"_ the two of them left the room, Blaze more hesitant to leave Emmett alone. I turned away to hide a smirk on my face. We could hear them but they had no clue we could.

"Why did you just let some people in the apartment, we don't know them!"

"Well they knew you. I assumed it'd be okay."

"Did they give my last name? I don't think they know me at all, oh shit they're here about Embry aren't they?"

"That doesn't make sense, Embry and Jacob were both Native American like you, but these guys, their definitely Caucasian." I heard a sigh from D.

"I just wish you'd be more careful, you know…"

"Yeah I'm sorry I brought it up. Listen, let's call Carter and Nick, your Brothers don't live too far away. Would that make you feel safer?"

"Yeah, it would, thanks Blaze." I turned my attention away from the door, to the window, it was a cloudy day so we could walk without fear regardless we wore very covering clothing. D came back out with her hair still dripping water. Emmett coughed to the side covering his mouth before getting enough air to talk. I turned away and covered my nose and mouth as I breathed, just because I'd gotten better, didn't mean I was foolish, and her hair being wet didn't help at all, something both Emmett and I had very obviously noticed. D seemed tense, but it wasn't the normal fear we faced, or even a nervousness at being close to us. She wasn't afraid of us for all the normal reasons, but she was definitely wary. That was smart of her to be.

"Can I help you two?" she asked trying to reinforce a sense of calm but she wasn't very convincing even if I couldn't see the expanses of her emotions it'd be obvious to me.

"Have you seen Embry?" Emmett said impolitely. He was trying to conserve air. She seemed slightly startled. Blaze was on the phone in the other room.

"Yeah Nick, could you call Carter and get him to come to our apartment, D isn't feeling too great about some people who came to us uninvited."

"Why are they in there then?"

"Well, I kind of let them in." I heard an exasperated groan from the other side of the phone.

"Blaze!"

"Yeah I'm sorry okay, but they were really hot."

"Yeah you know why D doesn't like strangers."

"Yeah, yeah I'm sorry okay?"

"I'm on my way I'll call Carter on the way." My attention turned to D. There was a story behind her. A story I was curious about. More over how it affected Embry. Blaze entered the room wrapping her arms around D and softly kissing her cheek. D returned the hug. _'They are on their way, don't worry D.'_ Blaze whispered in to her ear. It seemed slightly out of place, but I dismissed it.

"Have either of you heard from Embry lately?"

"Oh, that ass hole who burst in here a couple weeks ago thinking he was D's fucking owner?" my body tightened at Blaze's response and Emmett physically showed his anger by lowering his eyebrows and like flexing his muscles in his relaxed arms trying to calm down. This was something Blaze saw and bit her tongue.

"That wasn't nice Blaze, how do you two know Embry." Emmett scoffed quietly.

"Brothers." I said without hesitation. Blaze laughed but D saw how serious we were. I could feel the conflict in D, she wanted to apologize for Blaze's statement.

"No I haven't heard from him." Something clicked in her head and in a moment the color from her face faded.

"If you're looking for him, he went missing a while ago" I nodded in response

"And he hasn't came back." I shook my head in agreement with what she said, and she covered her face.

"It's been over two weeks, he hasn't came back because of me." She was on the verge of tears, I stood emotionlessly.

"So you haven't heard anything?" I said then noticed Emmett's attention was on the TV.

"Reports say a large Native American man saved ten-year-old Tyler Jacobs from the apartment complex burning down. We couldn't get a hold of him but this video shows him jumping out of the second level of the Apartments. We now bring you to a live interview with the ten-year-old Tyler Jacobs"

"So what happened?"

"Well this big guy saved me. He was HUGE!" the kid said stretching his arms out as far as he could.

"What is that you're holding on to Tyler?" the reporter said getting down on his level.

"It's his shirt, he gave it to me to breathe better in the house." Tyler threw the shirt on which he almost fell out of through the neck hole but caught. Blaze laughed and I rolled my eyes at her.

"That couldn't be the guy you're looking for, that's Tucson, Tucson Arizona." She said scoffing. Emmett smirked and cracked a small smile, that made no difference in two weeks he could be anywhere on foot.

"Did he tell you his name?" the reporter asked.

"Yeah, he said his name was Embry and he'd take care of me." I turned slightly to see Blaze's reaction, her jaw had dropped and I had to work hard to repress my amusement.

"Looks like we're going to Tucson, Emmett."

"Wait, why are you chasing him anyway?" Blaze asked not liking the Emmett was leaving.

"He's our brother, that's reason enough." Emmett answered before turning away and heading out of the apartment in front of me.

**Embry's POV**

I looked at the city I was in. Tucson Arizonia, _"it's still f'in hot here well in to august" _I rolled my eyes. I liked the cold, it fit my mood. It was too sunny here, it was too bright. I enjoyed rain, I enjoyed the cloudy atmosphere of La Push. So many people wanted to escape La Push, so many people wanted to travel to sunny warm areas. Not me, I loved when it was cloudy. I loved the rain… I danced in it sang in it, but never where anyone could see me. No I'd never let them see how crazy I was. I loved the smell of rain, the way it hit my body, and more than anything the smell of rain on Leah. Pain shot through my heart and body. _She's with Rick now, she left you she made it clear she loves him, Just walk away._ It'd been nearly a year and even a thought about her hurt like salt to the wound. I hadn't healed, I honestly didn't think I'd ever heal. I might not feel the pain but the feelings would always be there, the pain would haunt me every time I thought about it, all I could do was hold on to the person I loved and hope that was good enough, but my heart was split; split between two girls who neither wanted me. Two girls; neither of them loved me. I looked up at the sun as if to insult it, to ask it to leave me alone, the sun was gone. At least it was to me. Lyrics hit my mind and I smiled, not a happy smile but an ironic smile, I hadn't smiled genuinely for two weeks. _"And it seems to get much colder when you cry on your own shoulder and you know the show must go on yes I know I guess I'll throw on… Cause when it's colder I feel much better when I cry on my own shoulder, just put on a sweater and go."_ I couldn't live here, I loved snow. Even before my body became a furnace I loved the snow, well in to my teenage years I built snow forts with Jacob and Quil. Everyone once in a while the sun was acceptable, but too much of it reminded me of the cheer leader at CHS, too cheery, too happy. Regardless of the overbearing heat that was beating down on me I wore long pants, a white T-shirt and my trench coat over it. I smelt the air and smelt something that was slightly familiar but I couldn't place it. I turned to the north where the smell originated. I saw slight smoke in the distance. Part of me wanted to walk away, I didn't want attention. I was no superman, but the dominant part of me, the stronger part of me had something else to say. _If you walk away now, and someone dies it will be your fault._ Sighing I turned to the north and made for a dead sprint, at human speed of course.

By the time I got to the apartment complex it had really caught on fire. I dropped my trench coat and ran in to the alley trying to find a place to enter without being seen, I had heard there was a boy on the third floor hiding in his room. I found the door unlocked and made my way in to the blazing infernal. From what I heard the fire started because of the heating pipes so it spread on every level of the complex very quickly. I made for the stairs covering my head as I ran up one flight of stairs only to realize they were breaking under my feet I made it to the second level and forced my body up the breaking stairs to the third floor. It wasn't safe for me to go down the same way I came up. The building seemed rather old and unfortunately predominantly made of wood. A board swung down catching me by surprised I managed to block it but tripped on some wood that was on fire. Covered my head and landed on my back. At the same time the ceiling started to give out and a large beam came crashing down on me. I caught it with my arms and knees. My arms had crossed to stay parallel to each other. I felt the hair of my arms burning as I tried to push the beam to the side. All I succeeded in doing was spilling some embers on to my chest. I bit my lower lip to stop yelling. The embers burnt right through my shirt making a foot circular hole in my shirt. I felt a burning sensation as holes burnt in to my knees. I took a deep breath then threw the beam off me I put out the embers on my chest and inspected my arms, I there was a patch of hairless arm on the backs of both my arms. I laughed quietly then put out my knees. I looked to the first door trying the door knob. It was really hot, and of course locked. _Yeah of course the doors are locked! _I sighed and kicked in the door with a technique Mike Iverson showed me. I was surprised it worked but with that much force I would have worked anyway. I scouted the room and yelled but no one answered. I made my way out and to the next door, this door had caught fire, it seemed much more brittle. I kicked and my leg went through I tried to pull it out of the door but couldn't I threw my fist in to it and got my elbow caught in it. I sighed in frustration not appreciating the humor. I threw my shoulder in to it finally busting the door into many pieces. _No kid_. I thought to myself, there was at least thirty doors on this level I couldn't bust down every door, the building wouldn't last that long, neither may the kid. I slowed down my breathing and concentrated with another technique I learned from Mike. I hit the ground and heard a stomping sound. I followed it but couldn't get where exactly it was coming from. Then I heard a yell and I knew exactly where it came from. I ran my shoulder in to it and slammed the unlocked door to the wall knocking off its hinges. It thudded as it hit the ground. I searched the room and found a scared little boy in the corner. I slowly approached him with my hands open palm up. He looked pretty bad. I pulled my shirt and wrapped it around his face.

"breathe in this" I didn't know if it'd help or not but I was going to try. I scooped him up in my arms like an infant. I was large enough to do that.

"You a brave kid?" I asked him trying to encourage him. He nodded. I looked at the elevator. The doors were closed. I'd never done anything like this before but I guess it was a good time to try. I set him down and kicked the elevator as hard as I could denting it. I kicked it again and again until I could get my hand in it then pushed one of the two doors open with all my strength. I looked and the Elevator was one level below. I grabbed the boy and jumped down the shaft on to the elevator opening the top panel and jumping in. the doors were open on the elevator. I climbed out making sure the ceiling wasn't coming down anywhere. I jumped to the side avoiding a beam that fell to the floor. I couldn't go down the stairs it turned in to a fire pit at the bottom of the stairs which left me with one plan, and it was a bit more dramatic than I wanted to be, especially with the cameras I saw outside. _Come on you did it in front of your precious D._ I had to admit that the reason I did that was partially to show off. There was good reason though I needed to get away. I stepped to the window and kicked out the wood framing and the glass, knocking all the pieces off then taking four paces back so I could get a running start.

"Okay, what's your name Kid?"

"Tyler Jacobs." He answered to me.

"Well Tyler I need you to grab my left arm here and hold on tight don't let go okay?" I said wrapping him in my left arm.

"Okay! But what's your name?" I looked at the kid and a small hint of a smile tapped the side of my lips.

"My names Embry, don't worry Tyler, I'll take care of you." I tightened my arm around him but not so tight to hurt him. I charged the window at a fast pace then dove right shoulder first. In air I turned so I'd fall on my right arm. I rolled up to a standing base but when I landed I hit my elbow and it definitely hurt. I set Tyler down.

"You were really brave, be a good kid Tyler." He looked up at me in admiration.

"Will I ever see you again?" he asked looking up at me.

"Maybe you never know in this world." I said sighing.

"I want to be just like you when I grow up." I looked down at him and smiled. A real genuine smile. I played with his hair and started running away. I picked up my trench coat and to my next destination, east.

**D POV**

After seeing who they believed was Embry on TV Jasper and Emmett left. I couldn't believe it was him He was just here two weeks ago how did he move like that, I don't know it just seemed implausible. It had to be though because without a doubt Emmett and Jasper knew it was him. I heard a knock on the door and I jumped. Blaze looked out the eye hole.

"It's Nick and Carter." I sighed and Blaze opened the door. Carter immediately hugged me. I returned it, he was the bigger of the two but he connected with people better some times. I loved Nick just as much though he was just different from Carter. Carter looked me in the eye and grabbed my shoulders looking over me to make sure I was physically okay.

"So what happened? Why'd you need us? You know we're always here for you but what happened?"

"Two guys came over asking about her ex boyfriend." Blaze said then covered her mouth. D shot her an angry look. There was a reason she hadn't told her brothers about Embry, among the normal wear and tear of having a boyfriend and the fact that this one was one she essentially met online Nick was crazy protective, so was Carter, but Nick took it too far, and some times more than legally too far.

"What ex boyfriend, D hasn't had a boyfriend besides what's his name in two years." Blaze laughed that Carter forgot my boyfriend's name. Then Blaze shot him a look to shut him up before Nick caught on, which was a lost cause, Nick wasn't a dumb person, He was a lawyer he didn't miss much.

"Why didn't you tell us about him?" Nick said turning his attention to D.

"Because you're prone to over react then do things illegal." He narrowed his eyes at her and crossed his arms.

"Because it's necessary, men are scum bags." I rolled my eyes and planted my body unwilling to waiver. I didn't grow up with three brothers and become a push over.

"No you're going to leave him alone." He was taller than me but I stared him in the eye. I would not concede my point.

"Where does this guy live anyway?" Nick said ignoring my last statement. Carter grabbed him and was trying to calm him down. I smiled evilly at him.

"Minnesota." I thought Nick was going to lose his mind.

"You met a guy online!" he said looking like he was losing his mind.

"Not technically." I said laughing. I must be losing my mind, but I stopped caring.

"What's his name?" Nick said and I laughed at him again. He thought I was going to answer that. His eyes turned to Blaze. She gave me an apologetic look.

"Embry." Nick smiled at his success. I gave Blaze a look that said she hadn't heard the end of it.

"What's his last name Blaze?" She shrugged at the question and I smiled victoriously. His eyes turned to me not enjoying my amusement at my small victory.

"If you don't tell me his last name I'll tell mom and dad, and you know dad won't like this one bit." I bit my lip. I definitely didn't want them knowing about this, especially dad, he'd flip after what happened last time, he was a hard sell on boyfriend and he even liked him. I didn't really know if he liked him though, it was more like he approved of him, so far I don't think he liked any boy I could ever bring home. He was like that though, he was a military man, and more than that he was very good at it. He'd never tell us about that though he said that life was behind him now. So naturally so was the stories about it. We simply didn't ask about it. I sighed realizing Nick had pulled out his cell phone. I put my hands up in defeat.

"His name Is Embry Black." He dialed a number in his cell phone I groaned.

"You told me you wouldn't tell them!" He motioned for me to be quiet.

"Yeah Evan, get the boys on the computers I need info on an 'Embry Black' from Minnesota. Yeah I'm on my way back to the office, I'll help you hack in to his files when I get there."

**Nick's POV**

I knew D would hate me for doing this but it was for her best interest, and at the end of the day I was the brother she needed. But not always the one she wanted. When I got to the office Evan told me that the only record of an Embry Black he found was from a high school transcription. That was peculiar at the very least, most people had much more to be found then that, and if he was talking with D online he either used an alias or that wasn't his name. It didn't come with a picture of him, which left me really distraught. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Blaze's number D was mad at me enough as it was.

"Hey Nick what's up?"

"Do you know if he has any sibling or anyone else connected to him, like the two that came today."

"Well The two that came up today were Emmett and Jasper." She made a noise that sounded like she was trying to think.

"Ness was a girl and a guy named Jacob."

"Thanks Blaze, I'll talk to you late."

"Yeah bye." I hung up and turned to Evan again.

"Check all these names, Emmett, Jasper, Ness and Jacob, all with the name Black." I looked at my computer screen staring at the names and looking up anything else on Embry I could find but he was a black hole there just was nothing there. I did a large search and continued.

"Nothing on Emmett, Jasper, or Ness… but there is a Jacob Black there he's in the same school as Embry Black, it says he's a transfer from La Push Washington."

"Find some things on the rest of them, I'm going to look at one last thing." I sighed, this kid wouldn't beat me, I had hacked in to credit card systems, there was an Embry Black with the same address, I just hadn't gone in to his records, this was a pretty terrible threshold, but one I would cross to protect my little sister. I read the information on it nothing major then something caught my eye, not even five miles from where my sister lived he rented a storage unit. I quickly dialed my sister's number.

"He owns a storage garage at Sadie inc. I'm going to go check it out."

"NO, YOU ARE NOT, I don't care if you tell mom and dad, I will sue you myself if you do that to him I'm NOT letting you do that to him." I backed off, I guess I wouldn't do this but regardless I wrote down the address and information needed.

"Bye Nick, I will get you if you do that to him. I'll tell Carrie and she won't like it one bit!" she threatened. I backed off immediately, Carrie was my girlfriend and didn't like me hacking at all, much less in to my siblings affairs and even MUCH less in to credit card companies.

"Okay, okay D I promise, bye."

"Bye." I hung up and looked up at Evan.

"Yeah info is just coming in now. Apparently the other three we were looking up their last name is Cullen and… wait what the fuck?" I looked down at my screen and the connection to the internet was failing. At once all the computers were shut down.

"Nick… I don't think they wanted us looking at that." I tried to restart my computer but it wouldn't take. I redialed my sister.

"What is it Nick."

"I think your ex just crashed my entire law office network."I heard her laughing as she covered the phone.

"Serves you right for hacking in on him."

"D, this is my whole Law firm." She laughed again.

"Then you shouldn't have done it at work or better yet, AT ALL" she yelled hanging up the phone. Evan was staring at me as I hung up.

"That was some crazy shit I've never seen stuff like that." I shook my head.

"Neither have I, let's try to get our network up and running again." Evan nodded and turned back to his computer. _No, these Cullen's are apparently off limits._ I thought to myself before angrily throwing my pen at the wall.

**I've got creativity oozing out of me right now, unfortunately I'm getting up in 3 and a half hours for work… leave your ideas, reviews, high fives, thumbs up, knucks and rolls of twenty dollar bills. But yeah I've changed an idea here or then but you didn't know my original ideas so you wouldn't know ****so please review, because guns don't kill people… a lack of reviews kills people.**


	5. Please V2

**Disclaimer: Yeah I'm sorry I use the same lyrics as I did once in the other story, that and I'm sorry I'm not the owner of Twilight (that'd be Stephenie Meyer for all you cool cats wondering)**

**Disclaimer deuce: ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!**

**Embry's POV**

I pulled my key out of my trench coat pocket. I really just wanted to sleep in a bed for a little while. Try to gain perspective, but more than anything I didn't think I could take being alone anymore… I missed people, I missed too many people. Maybe I'd go back to St. Cloud. I leaned closer to La Push. I didn't want to go home yet, but see my mother, that was something I did want to do. I stopped when I heard the sound of guitar on the opposite side of the door. I was surprised Jasper waited this long to find me. I knew it was Jasper, I didn't know anyone else who could play guitar like what I was hearing. I opened the door and sighed.

"Really Jasper? You need to-" I saw before opening my eyes, but a split second before that I opened myself to my scent of smell, it wasn't Jasper. I opened my eyes and they opened up and my jaw dropped.

"D, that was you playing guitar?" not sure which to be more surprised by, her presence or the way she played guitar. She nodded looking away sheepishly. She set down my guitar then got up off the bed and walked over near my car.

"How did you get here so fast?" she asked.

"I ran." I said with a smirk. I told her the truth.

"You don't need to be mean to me Embry, that's not you." I rolled my eyes.

"Since when do you care what I am anymore?" I was being as cold and harsh as I could be. Her eyes looked down at the ground then at my legs. Her eyes widened staring at my legs.

"Those holes are from the fire aren't they?" _How the hell does she know about that? Embry keep your guise up._

"Yeah, so what, why do you care?" her eyes narrowed at me looking me in the eye.

"Stop trying to be a hard ass Embry. You can be an ass hole but that doesn't change the fact you ran in to a burning building IN to one to save a boy you've never met, so yeah I get it you're mad at me but stop trying to be someone you're not." I didn't have a response, I just kept my coldest look I could manage on my face. I turned my back to her dropping my trench coat to the ground. She gasped looking at my back. I had forgotten about the bruises from the metal pipe. That and most people didn't walk around without a shirt on. Everyone close to me had seen me naked besides the Cullen's and it wasn't a big deal to them either. I looked for a shirt hastily. Her breathe shortened and her attention turned to right arm. I quickly realized what she was staring at. It was the large scar on my bicep. She started walking towards me, I backed away cautiously. Without realizing I'd done such I leapt backwards over the bed easily landing on the other side. She seemed surprised. I caught myself, that wasn't something most people could do effortlessly, if at all.

"Embry, let me look at it." I shook my head.

"No, stay away from me." I said keeping my distance from her, I didn't want her touch, I needed her too much I was on a slippery slope and any second I could fall for her. Her touch could hypnotize me. There was a chance that nothing was there, but I didn't want to take that chance. I didn't want to love her I wanted to hate her. I felt horrible for what I'd said for her already. She stopped and crossed her arms. I tried to look angry but the way she narrowed her eyes was really hot actually.

"You don't need to be this person, it isn't you. You loved me." I didn't respond.

"And I love you." She said I scoffed in response.

"If you love me so much then why are you going out with someone else?" she looked away hurt. _How is it possible she thought I wouldn't bring that up?_ I thought to myself.

"I don't believe in love." I said flat out. I tried to hide any emotion, any indication. I tried to be strong. Her eyes never left mine once, it was those beautiful strong green eyes that took me in and saw through all my bull shit, who could see what I really thought.

"No, you used to believe in love at least. I can tell you that. The way you wrote I know you believed in love." She said not taking her eyes off me.

"Yeah, you're right I did believe in love." She looked as if she won something for a moment.

"I also believed in Santa Claus, turns out he's not real either." I said letting the acidic sarcasm bleed through. She worked to hide the amusement.

"That one's good you got any other ones?" I shrugged.

"Not off the top of my head." I turned and grabbed a plain black t shirt and threw it on. I didn't need it for heat, it's only real purpose was to get D to stop staring at me. She had made no more attempts at getting across the mattress. I turned around paying very close attention to what I heard, in case she changed her mind and came after me anyway. I heard a sound of the bed.

"Don't…" I said moving away. She looked at me critically.

"What happened to your arm." I rolled my eyes.

"Paper cut." I said sarcastically.

"Let me look at it, I'm a nurse." I laughed.

"Yeah right. You're still in college." She looked away.

"No, I'm a nurse, besides I bet you didn't go to a doctor, I bet no one has looked at it." I turned away and scoffed.

"I heal fast, I don't need someone to look at it." I backed away again trying to glare at her.

"Embry, you _don't_ scare me. I know you and I know you couldn't hurt me even if you wanted to." She could read through me.

"So how did you actually hurt it?" I rolled my eyes and made my way across the room to my car.

"How about a question from me and you answer it and maybe I'll answer yours." She stopped and nodded glad that I wasn't angry anymore. She was in for a rude awakening.

"When did I stop being enough for you?" she looked away for a split second scorned then returning her eyes to me.

"Maybe I needed someone who can be here for me." It stung but wasn't unexpected.

"Yeah, I'm here now." She looked at me hurt. Then she gave me a look as if apologizing for what she was about to say.

"You're selfish. You're a great person but it's always about you. You care about other people but it's always you first. Even now you don't really care about what's happening with me, it's just affecting you know so you started to care. My boyfriend isn't like that." Her words were ripping me up emotionally. My heart felt like it was getting squeezed by an invisible hand. I grabbed my cell phone.

"Wow, thanks D." She looked away ashamed.

"I didn't want to say that." She said still facing me.

"Yeah you did."

"No Embry-" she said facing me again but I cut her off.

"Tell me please  
who the fuck did you want me to be?  
was it something that I couldn't see?  
never knew this would be so political." I sang and she seemed taken aback a bit.

"Embry it's not like that." She said pleading with me

"And please  
I'm still wearing this miserable skin.  
And it's starting to tear from within,  
But it's obvious that doesn't bother you"

"Embry please stop…" she said pleading, my eyes burned fighting away the beginning signs of tears.

"So please  
don't keep telling me that it's okay.  
I don't buy all the shit that you say.  
And quite honestly I'm fucking sick of it.  
So please  
If I cut off this nose from my face.  
then I wouldn't feel so out of place,  
but it still wouldn't be quite enough for you  
so please." She seemed to calm herself down but she wasn't okay.

"That's Staind." She said.

"No shit D, you're the one who showed me that song remember?" She looked down as if ashamed again. I felt sick I wanted to comfort her. _How could you want to comfort her from the pain you're causing her have you seen what she's done to you?_ I yelled at myself.

"Leave now D, I don't want to talk to you." She crossed her arms defiantly and sat down on my bed. _On your bed, if that's the kind of talk. SHUT UP._ Embry couldn't blame himself, he hadn't even kissed anyone in over nine months.

"No, I'm not leaving until we talk."

"We already talked." She shook her head.

"No you had a yelling match with me." I rolled my eyes and made my way to the door.

"Where are you going?" she asked getting up.

"He who makes a beast out of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." I said out loud._ If she only knew how literal I was when I said make a beast out of myself._ I turned around and faced her.

"And lock up after you're done breaking and entering." She started to chase after me I locked the door behind me and broke in to a soft jog.

"You think you can get away from me? I went to state in track and field." I laughed at the statement as I was just keeping her within five feet.

"Yeah I think I can." I said extending and easily losing her in the city behind me. I had to hold back to make sure I wasn't running faster then would look normal.

After running to the city limits I looked behind me and looked ahead of me. _La Push… here I come._

**Yeah I know it's a quick chapter, it only took me like seven days to update so no complaining! I'm considering working on my other project that I haven't started since there hasn't been a lot of interest in this one, working on both at the same time. However some of my favorite reviewers and thought provoking reviewers still are reviewing when they can so I don't know if you don't know what I mean when I say my 'new story' look up on my profile what I'm talking about it's about the Vulturi. Give me your input if you haven't, hell give me your input even if you have. And as always give me high fives, knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills, comments and any ideas you have**


	6. BYOB

**Disclaimer: What if I say you're not like Stephenie Meyer?**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Is this the way you want it? Is this the way it has to be… standing here beside you when my hearts lost in New Orleans.**

**Embry's POV**

_Home_. A couple years back I was convinced this wasn't the place, but here on this ground while the leaves were falling all around, while the cold air husked me away, and the dreary cold cover. Yes this was home. I took in the strong smell staring at the place I called home as a kid. My mother pulled up and closed the door behind her on the car. She reached in to the back of the car and grabbed at two bags of groceries. I sprinted out next to her and stopped. I grabbed both from her arms.

"Hey mom, I'll take the groceries." I said taking both in one arm.

"Embry! Dear you scared me." She said looking very surprised.

"I'm sorry Mom, I just got back home." The way I said home comforted her.

"So are you staying in La Push now?" I shrugged opening the door for my mother as I stepped in behind her.

"I don't know. I don't really have much in the way of plans, I just wanted to come back, I wanted a real place to sleep." My mother seemed disheartened by my last statement.

"Well Embry, when you didn't come back in a two years I started renting your room out." I shrugged.

"No problem, the couch is fine. I haven't slept inside in a couple weeks so a couch sounds great." My mother gave me a look saying she didn't appreciate it.

"I have to go back to work." My mother said after I helped her unpack her groceries. The look on her face betrayed her intentions.

"Don't worry mom, I'm going to pass out on the couch, I'll be here when you get back, promise." That was obviously her worry. She looked at me in an old familiar look.

"Mom, I'll just go hunting, I don't mind."

"No, I bet you haven't had a home cooked meal in two weeks." I shrugged

"Closer to a month." She crossed her arms and gave me that motherly look that reminded me that she was still in charge. I nodded giving in.

"Okay mom, but I'm picking up the groceries I'll pay for them, I'll buy em after I take a nap." I nodded and headed for the couch but stopped and turned back to my mother and hugged her.

"It's good to be back." She finally released me.

"I missed you Emb." She turned away and headed for the door.

"I'll be back around seven." I nodded and made my way to the couch and threw myself on it. I didn't have much time to think, I had basically sprinted the distance of Washington in anticipation of being back home, I was exhausted. I dozed off shortly after laying down. I was still in a daze when I heard the door start to open. Not completely coherently I believed it was probably Scott the guy who was renting my room.

"Embry, you're still asleep you must have really needed it." It was my mother, but that couldn't be true, that would mean I slept for seven hours, I hadn't slept more than three in the last two years. I got up to my feet drearily.

"I'm sorry Mom I'll go pick up some groceries." I headed for the door.

"Don't you think you'll need a car?" she said smiling. I nodded, it would make it easier but I rarely drove, it'd been three weeks since I drove my car, and nothing else besides that.

I cumbersomely climbed in to her Bonneville, It was hard to fit but if it was nearly any other kind of car I wouldn't have fit at all. I always loved Bonnevilles they were big and comfortable, not like a car that was smaller than me. I followed the driving regulations, after all I wasn't in a Cullen-mobile like I usually was. I pulled up to the grocery store wondering how I slept so long. Was it the stress? Was it my only escape from D? I knew Leah moved out of state with Rick so I knew I wouldn't have to deal with her here either. _You want to 'deal' with her alright_. _Shut up_. I told myself walking in to the store. Silently I argued. I couldn't deny deep down I hoped she was here, I knew she wasn't though. I sighed heavily not really paying attention to what I was doing. I grabbed a cart and piled food for cooking for the next couple days. _Maybe you're so damn tired because you sprinted across the whole state of Washington._ I laughed to myself, yeah that could be the origin. I grabbed a large amount of food and stuffed it in to my cart. My mind was elsewhere so I didn't even notice the checkout line. There was only one line open and much to my dismay it was manned by someone I knew. I kept my head down hoping that the fact that I hadn't shaved in nearly a month and my hair was a mess would hide who I was to him, but there weren't very many people around who were 6'10 and ripped. I heard him gasp quietly.

"Embry?" Collin said quietly.

"No, some other freakin' huge guy." He smiled.

"It really is you, I can believe I'm seeing you after all this time." He said as he checked my food out.

"You didn't see me, don't tell anyone." He held on to the last loaf of bread.

"Why?"

"I wasn't here, and I don't plan on staying that long." I grabbed the loaf out of his hands and returned to my mother's car. I loaded all the groceries. I drove home, part of me wanted to see the old pack, Really a large part of me did, but I was in a bad mood lately and I would most likely tweak on an imprint or two. I wasn't worried about Claire. I never got mad at her, she was only a little girl but Kim, Rachel and Emily I knew I would have no problem flipping out on. As I pulled up to the driveway I saw another car in the driveway. I thought was the Clearwater's but it's been such a long time since I'd paid attention to cars around here I forgot. I gathered up all the bags in one arm. I opened the door and saw Sue and my mother in the kitchen talking. I walked in like nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Hey Embry."

"Hello Mrs. Clearwater." I never got out of calling her that, Even after her husband died, it always felt like he was always present.

"Please call me Sue." I nodded, it was uncomfortable she was Leah's mother to me, not Sue. Sue helped cook supper. We talked about many things.

"Seth still hasn't Imprinted, I don't think he will." I swallowed the spaghetti in my mouth and asked.

"Why do you think that?" she shrugged.

"Brady Imprinted, in fact he imprinted a while ago, a girl he went to school with, as soon as he started paying attention in school, when they slowed down after the Vulturi attack he imprinted. Around the time he stopped sleeping through classes. Collin and Seth still have yet to imprint, so I don't think they ever will."

"Why do you think that?"

"It doesn't make sense, if there was someone magically close to them they would have so far, plus it seems a bit to coincidental that neither of my kids imprinted. Either way Collin has a nice girlfriend." I nodded but my focus was elsewhere. I tried to pay attention but every so often my eyes would trail away to a window.

"You miss her don't you?" Sue asked obviously referring to Leah.

"Yeah, I try not to think about it. I don't want to… I want to be able to move on but…" my mother had started cleaning up… I didn't say anything and finished my plate.

"But what?"

"I can't… that's all."

"What do you mean you can't." she said looking at my inquisitively.

"I want to move on, but can't." I said standing up and walking the dishes over to the kitchen sink and started washing them. I exhaled. I didn't quite make out what my mother said to Mrs. Clearwater at the door I was more focused on the dishes. I finished dishes and made my way back to the couch. Just as I was going to doze off again I heard a familiar voice.

"Embry come out, we've got the house surrounded." I heard laughs in the like. _What the hell?_ I thought to myself getting up off the couch, my mother walked in wearing a bemused look on her face. When she put together whose voice it was she started to smile.

"You better get out there, no telling what they'll do if you don't." my mom said wearing a humored look on her face. I adjusted my neck and twisted my upper body from side to side fixing my spine. I smiled looking at my mother.

"I'll be back here in the morning, I'll make you breakfast." She smiled.

"Okay Embry, take care of yourself." I grinned wiping dust off either of my shoulders that wasn't really there. By now it was dark outside and I saw lights shining at the house. I came out with my arms behind my head theatrically.

"Okay Embry, keep your hands where we can see them." Quil said with a laugh. The rest of the lights appeared. I was getting shined from all sides, I only counted four lights. They turned off their lights then led me down the path.

"Where is the rest of the entourage?" Collin shrugged next to me.

"Everybody's going to the party have a real good time." I turned over to Collin trying to hide my amusement.

"Really Collin?" he started to laugh. We headed to our campfire site. Sam was already there with Jared and Paul starting up the fire. They had it going but it wasn't going strong yet. I stepped over and around them and grabbed a big stick and started to poke it. The rest of the wolves sat down around it. Paul rolled his eyes.

"Why the hell does everyone think poking the fire will help it?" I smiled. Maybe it didn't help but it was something to do, something to focus on.

"I don't know I just assume moving the wood somewhere it can burn better would help the fire." I said off handedly.

"Whatever I just don't think it does anything." I looked up and looked around the fire, only wolves were here. No imprints. Jared's eyes caught mine, then Sam's.

"What is it Embry?" Sam asked.

"I'm kind of surprised no imprints are here." Sam shrugged poking the fire with his own stick.

"Emily's idea actually… She didn't think you'd want them around, and we always spend time with them anyway." This piece said so much to me. It seemed as if imprinting was becoming balanced, where they could decide together. It didn't seem like they were slaves to their imprints anymore, while Quil was still extremely protective it didn't seem so odd to me anymore. Sam smiled lacing his fingers behind his head.  
"Where are the young ones? You know Zack, Drew, and Dena?"

"They're patrolling." _That was another person I wanted to avoid during my trip if they would let me._

"Remember when we took Laurent down?" he said sighing. I laughed.

"Yeah Paul was all giddy like he thought he was going to get him, but Jacob beat him to it, got his shoulder first, Sam second, hell by the time you got there Paul all there was left for you was the bottom half." He scoffed

"Shut up, you guys had a head start." I rolled my eyes.

"Not Jacob, he was drooling over Bella." I laughed hardily remembering that all too well.

"Yeah, damn Jacob is fast." I crossed my arms putting my feet up on a log near the fire, content to not say anything. If Jacob was fast I was lightning, I eclipsed him in speed. Paul not enjoying being so thoroughly outdone leaned forward.

"Oh yeah well who had the most newborns killed?" I rolled my eyes.

"Two and a half? Big deal." I said goading him on.

"Two and a half my ass, that was three." I rolled my eyes.

"No, you got two then stole half of Leah's second one." Quil said remembering the event.

"Whatever that was totally my kill." Jared laughed.

"If I remember correctly Leah had her teeth on it and you ran by and took the upper half away, oh yeah, that was totally your kill." He scoffed as he crossed his arms looking in to the fire. Brady grinned flicking pebbles across the fire at Collin. From what I'd heard they'd become inseparable, or as inseparable anyone could be with someone who was imprinted. I saw Jared smile suspiciously.

"Did you see Leah when she came through town? Damn she was hot." My body tightened, then flexed unintentionally. I was tense and I leaned forward on the log I was sitting on. Sam backhanded Jared on the side of the head. Quil put his arm across my chest then turned giving me a wink.

"But Damn, Kim is so hot, I saw her in a tank top the other day, mmmm." Quil said trying not to laugh as he put on the act. Jared was on his feet and running over as Quil finished. Jared had quickly made it across the circle and I intercepted him pushing him backwards.

"I guess you didn't like it either." Sam grabbed Jared.

"Jared, he was just screwing with you, you know he imprinted on Claire." He calmed down slowly but didn't enjoy it.

"Yeah, so don't make comments about Leah, I'll knock you flat out too." Sam said quietly to Jared even though we could all hear him. It was too tense now to keep sitting around. I plucked three marshmallows and put them on a stick thrusting them in to the fire.

"What the hell are you doing Embry?" Collin asked. I laughed and rolled my eyes.

"I'm too impatient to get it 'golden' this ways much much faster."

"I'm getting them to make 'delicious hot smooze'" I said laughing.

"Their called Smores, Embry" Quil said finishing the movie quote. I laughed hard almost dropping the stick in to the fire. I pulled out my flaming marshmallows and placed them in the smore. I looked around the fire and my eyes met with Sam's. He nodded realizing that neither of us wanted a fight to break out. I put the whole smore in my mouth to try and keep my hands clean, but not before realizing it was very hot. I grunted in pain. I heard laughing from around the fire. I tried to cool down my mouth but everything failed, I just bore the pain for the next ten seconds till I could swallow it. I sighed after it was all down, finally finding the water. I chugged a quart of water and turned back the pack.

"I'm glad my pain was entertaining." Quil joined me as I walked back to my house to sleep. I shrugged walking with Quil.

"Well how long are you expecting to stay?" I cracked my neck and stretched out.

"I think I might be leaving tomorrow." Quil didn't like that and coughed.

"Why are you leaving so quickly?" I sighed looking him in the eye.

"You know, the more I think about it, I realize I'm running away from everything. Even when I'm here I'm here because I know Leah won't be. I've been thinking about every night before I go to sleep Quil. I can't just keep hoping that my life will work itself out. Sometimes you need to make things happen. Because life doesn't work itself out. Sometimes you just need to take the shit life gives you and quit fucking around it." Quil was shocked with my language. We stood outside my door.

"Sorry Quil but there is some things I need to deal with on the east coast." Quil grabbed my arm as I stepped through the door.

"Can't you just stay a while longer?" I shook my head.

"No, I can't if I don't go now… I might never have the courage to deal with my problems. I might just run away again. I turned around to face him then pulled him in to a tight hug.

"Hey Quil." I said he looked back at me as we pulled apart.

"I missed you man." He smiled hitting me on the shoulder.

"Don't be a pansy Embry." I laughed.

"I'm not the own whipped by a toddler." He looked offended

"Hey she's not a toddler anymore." I laughed as that was his best defense against my verbal assault.

"See you later Quil."

"Yeah see ya Embry."

**Sam's POV**

Quil came back shaking his head, obviously not happy. He wore a dark expression. He tried to hide how disappointed he was but that wasn't one of his strong points.

"What's wrong Quil?" I asked following his eyes.

"He's leaving tomorrow, says he's got something to deal with on the east coast" he said. Jared grumbled interlocking his finger behind his head as he leaned back.

"You know for all the shit I give him I like having him around." Paul snapped his finger.

"That's just it!" I turned back to him

"What do you mean 'that's just it' what's just it?" Paul laughed

"I've got a plan to keep him here."

**Embry's POV**

I regretted not saying good bye properly. I would at least say goodbye to Sue properly, more than any other reason because she was sitting in the kitchen when I woke up at six in the morning, apparently since both her kids had moved out and so did my mother's they shared breakfast every morning. Sue was just stepping out when she noticed I was awake. I was dreary and unfortunately I had dreams about Leah. Waking up now only worsened the pain. Sue saw it in my eyes.

"You're thinking about Leah, aren't you?" she said stopping by the door. I nodded as I tried to let the tension out of my body. She sat on the chair by the couch.

"You had a dream about her?" she asked

"Dreams actually…" I tried to stay positive but she saw through the façade.

"Well it looks like it wasn't nightmares." She said looking me over.

"No it wasn't… It was good dreams… we were friends. It was like it used to be before I messed things up." I said silently cursing myself. I didn't regret how it went. I didn't regret any of that, I just wanted her back. Even if it was just a friend, but I think that was a line we couldn't go back to.

"From what I heard it wasn't you who made that distinction, but her." Sue said. I nodded confirming what she said.

"I should have resisted her." Sue let out a sharp laugh that stung slightly.

"Are you kidding me Call? I've noticed you watching her, having a crush on her since I could remember seeing you, even as little kids. No, there was no way you were going to 'resist' her." She said still laughing.

"Yeah you're right." I said flatly.

"Do you regret going out with her?" She asked finally. I thought about it for a while.

"No… Not for an instant. I can't bring myself to regret every moment I got to spend with her, they were the happiest moments in my life." I paused for a moment noticing my mom was also listening while doing the dishes.

"I, I think I loved her." Sue rolled her eyes at my statement.

"Well of course you loved her! It was plain as day to see. The way you were around her, you radiated warmth when she was around, you smiled… Embry, you're not a smiley person." I nodded. It was true. Most times I wore a neutral expression that looked more mad then anything, especially now that I was such a large intimidating presence.

"Don't think I'm the only one who noticed it. Quil Senior told me he saw it shortly after you two started dating. Emily told me the same only a couple weeks after Quil. It was obvious you both were in love." A part of me swelled in happiness then dampened into a painful twinge ripping at my insides. I got up.

"That's for the place to sleep mom, I'll come back more often… I'm sorry I stopped coming back." She nodded and I made my way to the door.

"Bye Sue, thanks for the talk." My mother ran to me and hugged me one last time.

"Bye mom." She tightened her grip on me and then released.

"Please don't stay away too long." I nodded not actually saying I'd come back too soon. I didn't want to lie to my mother. I regretted not being able to say good bye to everyone but then I'd be held up for hours, maybe days… I needed to get back to D and face my problem, no matter how much I wanted to keep running. I made my way in to the forest but instead of phasing like I originally planned I decided to run on form. I heard the sound of a wolf behind me and then the large wolf jumped over me landed in front of me turning around and facing me. I stopped. It was Jared. He shifted back to his human form and put his clothes on.

"What Embry? That's it no goodbye for me or any other of the pack? Did you even go see Billy?" That last part I did regret, I never did end up seeing Billy, he was the father to me I never knew he was growing up.

"You think you're something special, rolling in to town like you're something special when you abandoned us all." He said crossing his arms. There was something he was getting at. Something he was doing, this was unnatural to him.

"Whatever Jared, I'm leaving." He seemed hard pressed and I ran past him, he chased after me.

"What, running back to that bitch Leah who holds your leash?" I stopped and turned around laughing. That would have gotten me before but what I found funny is he had no clue why I was going to the east coast. It was a girl and none of them had a clue. I would play along for a minute or two.

"Yeah Kind of like how Kim holds your leash?" I said turning around and breaking in to a run, no more games I was leaving now.

"Least my girl loves me, yours is off with some other loser, and you're still obsessed about her. It's sad. She's still got you whipped like her little bitch and she couldn't care less about you." I stopped at his last words. _She couldn't care less about you_ bounced in my head repeatedly. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around. My fists clenched my body was tightening and flexing. That one I wouldn't just forget about. I started walking back to him. My body pulsating with anger. D would hate this.

"Oh so it looks like you're going man up and grow a pair, what aren't you afraid to fight me?"

"Shut the hell up Jared" I said pulling my arm back. One good hook would shut him up good. I swung and Jared caught my arm at my wrist and pulled my arm. He turned his back and I flipped over his shoulder and landed flat on my back on the ground. He scoffed.

"You think you're something special but you've become predictable." I tried to get back up but his two hands forced my shoulders back to the ground roughly. _If it's a fight you want._ I thought to myself before throwing my leg up hitting him on the top of his head. He stumbled back and I pressed my hands against the foliage on either side of my head and popped my shoulders back jumping to my feet. I turned around and met Jared face to face.

"You really want to do this Jared?" he laughed circling opposite of me in the small clearing we were in.

"Ever since you decided you were an high and mighty alpha, Sam I can't fight, Jacob can control himself, but you… you're just a ticking emotional time bomb." I rolled back my shoulder cracking it.

"This will feel good. At least I don't need to hold back against you…" He laughed blocking the way I was going. He was trying to slow me down. He was being more of an asshole than usual. He wasn't this much of a jerk most the time… something was different._ Could they really be trying to keep me here? Ha, they should have sent more than Jared then. _I thought to myself. I forced myself to calm down it was my stupid emotional rush that got me on my back standing over me. I threw a punch and he blocked leaning right then coming back with a round house kick that landed on my outside of my thigh. I laughed and then he grinned.

"You're laughing now but you can't move like you could, bet that hurts like a bitch." I tried to deny it but I couldn't put the weight on my left leg without pain. I tried to hide it but he could see it. I abandoned any normal fighting style and crouched down in to a very vampire-like pouncing stance. He stood up straight and started laughing. I put my weight on my legs then lunged catching his shoulders, my shoulder in to his chest, he began to go down and caught my elbows with his hands rolling with me rolling me to the bottom, rolling with my attack. I rolled on to my head then upper shoulders with him on top of me I tucked my feet un and then when I hit the ground with my hips I spun my wrists under his then at one instance I pressed with all my strength launching Jared straight in to a tree. I jumped back to my feet and he moved his upper body to the left then the right correcting his back.

"Good show Embry." Jared said stretching out. He came at with me a punch from his right I charged and blocked away his punch with a kick from my right foot then jumped and spun in the air bringing down my left leg then my right foot came around with a spinning axe kick in the air catching him across the face. The side of his face caught it and he went straight to the ground. I grabbed his collar on either side lifting him then launching my fist in to his stomach. He gripped my shoulders then pulled me down and his knee connected with my chest dropping me back to the ground, I rolled backwards and he smiled enjoying his moment. He bent down and jumped throwing himself at me in the air. I stepped down planted my feet then launched my body in to the air under his. I faked with my left leg then planted my right foot in to his chest with all the force I had. He was thrown back in to a tree fifteen yards back. He turned to me and stood back up, not as quickly as before. _Good that ought to teach him._ I thought charging, out of the side of my eye I saw movement, very quick movement. I ignored it knowing it was just another wolf. Then at that moment hot hands connected with my chest harder then I would have believed possible throwing me in to a tree four feet back. I heard a loud crack sound in my shoulder but tried to get back up immediately. I looked at my assailant fuzzily but couldn't figure out who it was. It was too big to be Paul and as I could see Sam was holding Jared back. Jacob was in Minnesota, and this one looked slightly smaller than him. As my vision came back to a clear picture I was shocked. _Holy shit that's Seth!_ I thought trying to get to my feet. I put some weight on my arm pulling myself up and a searing pain ripped up my left shoulder blade. I fell immediately back to the ground. I wanted to scream in pain but didn't. I didn't get up it was too painful. Hands pressed against my shoulder and I winced in pain.

"Damn Seth what the hell did you do to him?"

"I'm sorry I guess I've never done anything like that before didn't know how hard to push." Two sets of hands pulled me back to my feet. I tried to walk but when I stepped down with my left leg the pain in my shoulder was extreme. Sam and Seth had hoisted me in to the air and were carrying me.

"Do you know Carlisle's phone number?" I reached in to my right pocket and pulled out my cell phone and dropped it in Sam's hand. He pulled it out and dialed the number in my phone book for Carlisle.

"Embry?" Carlisle answered with hope in his voice.

"No, it's Sam, but Embry is here with me… and he needs your help."

**By the way if you like this story read all of mine, but since there is about half as many people reading this story as "first day" and half as many reading my new story as this one I don't know what to say about that… if you're reading this read "Volturi army arises" I'm actually thinking about throwing a love interest in to the story… maybe in chapter three… well anyway I suppose I should talk about this chapter. I wrote it over a week, this is after writing a chapter of Volturi in one day. I hope you like it… By the way for those who don't understand, Seth has now finally fully grown and he's about the same size as Sam. I remember in the books Leah saying how after Jacob she should have been the Alpha, which made me think about if she isn't Seth should be bigger and possibly stronger, faster, than Jared and Paul. Well thanks for reading my rant. Comments, high fives, rolls of twenty dollar bills, right here**


	7. Overthinking

**Disclaimer: So yeah This guy right here (b'.')=b (me) not actually Stephenie Meyer q=('.')z**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Show me how it ends, it's alright, show me how defenseless you really are, satisfied and empty inside, that's alright let's give this another try.**

Embry's POV

I awoke with a distinct extreme pain in my back. It coursed through my left shoulder blade. _Right, I need to remember to thank Seth for that._ I moved slightly and winced in pain. Carlisle appeared in front of me in an instant.

"Embry, the surgery was successful but you took enough aesthetics to knock out a bull." He chuckled to himself.

"However I'm going to have to suggest you refrain from phasing for at least a week, maybe longer it all depends how fast you heal. Another thing is I'm going to bandage your whole left side of your chest, if it can keep you from moving too much it'll be worth it." I nodded starting to get up but his cold hands softly pushed back on my shoulders.

"No Embry… I need you to stay in for bed at least today for everything except the bathroom, I don't what you disturbing the healing." I scoffed slightly at my father figure.

"What about food?" He smiled and nodded.

"Yes, that will be taken care of by the pack and Billy Black." At the mention of his name I took in where I was. I was in sitting up on Jacobs bed. Carlisle grabbed a large object and handed it to me.

"Here, this might help keep you entertained if the movies won't." I looked at the acoustic guitar, examining it. It was new, it must have just been bought by Carlisle.

"Thank you Carlisle…" he smiled gently patting my leg.

"I took care of Alice, when she saw I was coming to see you she was about to get on the next flight with Jasper. I made sure she stayed in Minnesota." I nodded. He began to turn but I grabbed his arm, he strained for a millisecond before stopping. I pulled him to me and hugged him, he returned it.

"Thanks for everything… I've got something I've got to deal with then I'm coming back, if you'll have me." He nodded releasing me.

"You're always welcome in our home." I smiled.

"Goodbye Embry." He said at the door.

"Goodbye Carlisle." He was gone. I looked at the TV on the opposite end of the small room. I looked at the remote I grabbed it and fiddled with it turning on the TV. I reached for the other remote and grabbed DVD remote and turned on the DVD player. Seth and Rachel stepped in both with a stack of movies. Seth stepped forward looking down at the dvds.

"G.I. Joe?" he asked

"Seen it." I said causally… he continued through his list but every single title I gave the same response.

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine? Fast and the Furious one through four? Boondock Saints? V for Vendetta? Short Circuit? Batman Begins? The Dark Knight? Transformers one or two? The Rookie? Chronicles of Riddick? Iron Man? Top Gun? Pirates of the Caribbean? Spider man one two or three? X-Men one two or three? Robots? Tommy Boy? The Italian Job? Death Race? Ballistics: Ecks versus Sever? 300? Snatch? Hoodwinked? The Matrix? Star Wars one through six? Wanted? Mighty Ducks one through three? Taken? Lord of the Rings one through three? Remember the Titans?" he finished going through his stack of movies, each one I blandly responded _'seen it'_ Seth looked defeated. Rachel smiled.

"Since you've seen all the movies the pack could muster I brought some different movies…" I almost braced myself against it but decided against it. I didn't answer any of hers though.

"Rent, 10 things I hate about you, A Walk to Remember, Hitch, Australia, The Proposal." She said but I cut her off.

"Alright, Alright I'll watch some of those…" I said giving up her onslaught of 'chicky flicks' as Emmett called them. I picked out of all of them the one that sounded the most interesting.

"10 things I hate about you, that can't be too bad can it?" Rachel smiled. Seth put the palm of his hand to his face. She put in the DVD and then tossed me the case. I looked at it.

"It's got Heath Ledger… it can't hurt that much right?" I said convincing myself more than anyone else.

I began to get up but Rachel ran to me and pushed me back softly.

"It's no big deal I was just going to grab something to eat." I said.

"No we'll get you something." Seth disappeared.

"I feel so lazy, it's not a big deal I'll get some food." Seth returned with plenty of food setting it on my lap. Started to devour it as the movie started playing.

I'd been watching the movie for a while, as far as movies went it was alright, Heath Ledger was pretty good. Quil stepped in the room.

"You're just too good to be true.  
Can't take my eyes off you." _Holy crap is he really doing that? Wow that takes some balls._  
You'd be like heaven to touch.  
I wanna hold you so much.  
At long last love has arrived.  
And I thank God I'm alive.  
You're just too good to be true.  
Can't take my eyes off you."

"Wait a second. Shit is that Heath Ledger? Like from _A Knights tale_ and _The Dark Knight_?" Quil asked and I responded with a nod.

"I love you, baby and if it's quite alright,  
I need you, Baby to warm a lonely night." _Holy crap he got the marching band going? He's committed, wait a second he's dancing? Dude… that's awesome._  
I love you, baby.  
Trust in me, when I say:  
Oh, pretty Baby,  
Don't bring me down, I pray  
Oh, pretty Baby, now that I found you, stay  
and let me love you, baby.  
Let me love you."

"Wow I just lost so much respect for him, he was such a bad ass as The Joker." I shrugged

looking back at him.

"I don't know, I thought it was kind of awesome, would you have the kahones to do that?" Quil looked introspective for a while thinking about it.

"Heh, that'd be awesome to do." I said Quil sat down and watched the rest of the movie with me.

After the movie Quil said his goodbye. The way he said it told me he wouldn't come back again before I left. I planned on leaving later tonight, assuming I wouldn't get jumped again. Unfortunately I couldn't phase. Carlisle advised against me phasing for as long as possible, at least a week to insure my bone healed fully back together. I knew Carlisle had no ulterior motive, he just wanted me to be healthy. I'd go back to them, once I dealt with D. I didn't even fully know what that entailed besides confronting her. I hadn't realized that Rachel had walked in and changed the movie I was too entrenched in thought. _What would I say? How could I say it?_ she could never be part of this world I lived in. _She found someone else. I needed to stop living in a fantasy… she thinks we can't be together because of the distance… I know we can't because of my dark secret. We are truly worlds apart. She is beauty. She is innocent. She has never needed to kill to defend her home. I'm a monster._

I heard a soft piano, something that sounded kind of familiar.

"525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear.

525,600 minutes- how do you measure, measure a year" The song I'd heard some where before. Apparently Rachel had put the musical Rent in. I watched the whole Musical, and oddly enough it only reinforced my need to deal with D. Powerful words ricocheted off every part of my brain as if to assure I dealt with my problems. It was simple, four words. _No day but today._ I forced myself to get up. I was okay… just very stiff. Carlisle said by now I should be able to run and move, just no phasing. That was okay I'd run back to Virginia. Rachel came back in to the room.

"Please stay a bit longer at least." The way she was pleading didn't seem like her. I sighed and pulled out the guitar Carlisle left me. I sighed and started strumming.

I've been playing guitar for well over an hour. I stopped for a moment looking around the room. It was all in connection to her… I'd be trying to ignore her the entire time I'd came back, but she was irrevocably on my mind. She was a dream, too good to be true. She was the Leah Clearwater I loved. While she might still exist, the Leah who loved me was gone. I started plucking the strings softly to a song that always reminded me of her.

"I was thinking  
over thinking  
cause there's just too many scenarios  
to analyze  
look in my eyes  
cause you're my dream please come true." I heard the door turn but kept playing. I needed to play guitar right now, sing even. I continued but they didn't open the door.

"I was thinking  
over thinking  
about exactly how I'm not exactly him  
I'll break my heart in two  
more times than you could ever do  
cause you're my dream please come true." I half expected the person at the door to come in, but I could tell they were still there. Waiting, deciding. As if hoping something changed.

"cause I think way too much  
on a one track mind  
and you're so out of touch  
cause I'm so far behind

I can't deny this anymore, the facts ignored all done before  
and if there's one in this world,  
you let me know you're not that girl" _who is at the door? Why haven't they came in?_ If I wasn't deeply connected to the song I'd get up and get the door, but for now it'd just bug me until the song was done.

"I was sinking  
lower, sinking  
cause I lost the things I held on to  
they let me think a thought  
a thought that I would know was not  
of seeing my dream come true."

"I was thinking  
over thinking  
about how far I had let this go  
one more guy/girl Cliché  
Iknow now you're just in the way  
of me and my dream come true" the person behind the door hadn't moved, but I could hear that they hadn't left yet. "Cause I think way too much  
On a one track mind  
and you're so out of touch  
cause I'm so far behind  
I'm trying to make sense  
out of all of this  
while your fading scent  
just slips through my grip" "I can't deny this anymore, the facts ignored all done before  
and if there's one in the word,  
you let me know you're not that girl"

"Don't touch the positive with the negative end  
Don't touch the positive with the negative end  
cause after all of the sparks you're still alone in the dark  
cause after all of the sparks you're still alone in the dark…" _what happened to them? Are they still there?  
_

"And while I'm able, I think I'll label  
experience with you as a mistake  
and while I'm at it, I'll say I've had it  
experience with you is a mistake" "Cause I think way too much  
on a one track mind  
and you're so out of touch  
cause I'm so far behind  
I'm trying to make sense  
out of all of this  
while your fading scent  
just slips through my grip." _Holy shit, could that be Leah?_ I thought to myself the last line caught me short, the whole song was about her but it only made sense there. I didn't know if I was brave enough to look though. I pressed on pouring my heart in to the last lyrics, to the point where I was nearly in tears, it was these critical words that reminded me of Leah in the first place. "I was thinking  
over thinking  
cause there's just too many scenarios  
to think about  
to figure out  
if you're my dream please come true." I sang releasing my breathe, my heart, my everything with those last words. I felt the shuddering sensation seconds before tears, but I stopped myself. I breathed out slowly trying to find my centering, trying to find something. I walked to the door now that I'd composed myself to check if it was Leah. No one was at the door. They had left. I knew someone was there though. I might be depressed, but I was still mentally sane and my sense of hearing had never been better.

I made a point of relaxing my body. I felt I'd warn out my welcome, more than that I just felt uncomfortable now. I grabbed my wallet, keys and Cell phone and headed out the door before anyone could stop me. Rachel looked flustered. She eyed me.

"Embry, please stay, just for a couple more hours, don't leave yet!" I didn't understand why she was so desperate to keep me here, but there was definitely a desperation I didn't quite understand. There was a pleading in her eyes. I shook my head I didn't understand why but I couldn't wait around any longer.

"No Rachel, I'm glad you care, but I need to leave… This place has too many memories. It reminds me of…" I stopped in the middle of my sentence. I just didn't want to admit it was still about Leah. I shook my head ashamed of myself.

"I just need to leave." She tried to block the door. I looked down at her ludicrously.

"Embry, please just wait a little longer, please!" "Rachel, move now." I said frustrated. She looked conflicted. Looking to the side not looking at me.

"Rachel, you can't possibly keep me from leaving." She sighed and stepped to the side I stepped past her. I stopped to bend my body then broke in to a sprint to the woods.

As I got deeper in to the woods I let go and broke out in to my full jog. I was up to speed a rate I could keep for hours at a time. I was deep in thought, on auto pilot through these woods that were so familiar to me from my patrols. Something about Rachel that had me thinking, _why was she so adamant that I stay longer?_ The pack wanted me there but they didn't press like she did. The way she pleaded, she had never cared about me that much, I was just that kid her annoying younger brother hung out with. It was something else. I knew she was one of Leah's closest friends but I was stretching my mind too far. I was trying to make connections to Leah, it was wrong… and a little sad. I knew she was her friend but there had to be another reason, Leah wasn't even in Washington anymore, I knew that but I just wanted to see her too much. _It's over, she's not here you're gone, you left_. I tried to force it out of mind but couldn't.

At that moment I heard a loud crack in front of me then a body land on the ground the figure was bent down then got up from one knee and stood in front of me. She wore a familiar mischievous smile. Her eyes were slightly narrowed giving the signal she was up to no good. She was relaxed, shoulders back both hands out. She moved swiftly without a hesitation. Her hair was down she wore long jeans and a white shirt. She wore a necklace but it was under her shirt so I couldn't see what it was.

"Long time no see." She said still smiling. I knew it'd been a long time. It was her doing, she didn't want to talk to me anymore. She got angry with me too easily. I kept my own thoughts it was because she had feelings for me and that made her mad but I'd never tell her that. She crossed her arms across her chest leaning back on her left leg familiarly. It had been well over three months since I'd seen her and she took my breath away like she had before, if possible she was even more breathtaking than before. She radiated such a confidence that was quite attractive. Just then I realized I had yet to respond to her.

"Hi, Leah." I said smiling. _Why am I smiling? What am I doing? What is she doing? Why is she here? How is she here_? I forced my mind to quiet itself. She was smiling she wasn't mad, with Leah it seemed she was on roulette some days she'd be happy some days, most days she fixed me with a tempered stare, a look asking why I was here.

"So, ahh what brings you to this side of the country?" I asked nervously. _I'm still smiling, why am I still smiling?_ I asked myself angrily. She shrugged nonchalantly. _Is it possible that she is really that relaxed? Of course she is… she's so cool it's almost eerie_. I force myself not to think about that. She sighed in response to my question softly brushing some of her hair across her face, nothing escaped my notice.

"I heard my ex got beat up by my younger brother, and my mom made me come back." I winced, yeah that's kind of what happened. In my defense Seth had definitely grown. "Hey that _little_ brother of yours packs a hell of a punch." I said pointing at my shoulder. She chuckled taking steps towards me. I didn't stop her. Her finger examined my back.

"If it's back here why did Carlisle wrap up half of your chest?" I shrugged.

"To restrain me." She laughed her soft laugh. I'd forgotten how much I loved the way she laughed. In the pit of my stomach I knew I should just run, but wasn't I trying to stop running from my problems? _This isn't like that, you're not running from a problem to avoid it, you're running from a problem because no good can possibly come from it._ Leah's finger touched where the crack was and I winced overly theatrically. I turned trying not to smile, she looked hurt.

"Oh my God, did I hurt you Embry I'm sorry!" she said genuinely. I couldn't back and I laughed. Her face changed immediately and she tackled my then pushed my back down as I tried to get up and slapped me in the face.

"Ouch that one actually hurt Lee!" I said without thinking, I hadn't called her Lee since the breakup. I tried to forget that and enjoy the moment.

"That should teach you, I felt really sorry!" I laughed grinning from ear to ear.

"Do you feel sorry now?" She took another swing but I caught her wrist and held on she swung with her other arm and I caught that too she was over me I could read clearly in her eyes the need to hit me upside the head. She pulled and pushed but I was still stronger then her then she pulled her arm back and I let go. By now it was everything I could do to keep looking at her, I was laughing heavily. I looked in to her eyes as she calmed down and I released the grip on her other arm. She swung and I blocked it again but this time she brought her opposite arm and hit my on the side of my head right above the ear, I pushed her arm and she lost her balance falling completely on me. I was tired from laughing as she was too. Her head was on the upper part of my chest under my chin. I breathed out slowly and she did the same. She looked up at me. I softly pushed some of her hair out of the way. She closed her eyes breathing in as soon as my skin touched hers… It was warm… right. Unlike anything I'd ever felt in my whole life. I breathed out and she got up to her feet quickly.

"I'm sorry Embry, I didn't mean to." She said apologizing immediately. My heart was squeezed and clutched. It was all a dream. I didn't get up I wanted to go back to my dream land where she was my dream come true. I closed my eyes trying to pretend I wasn't here, begging this pain not to be real.

"Embry…" I ignored the angel's voice, her voice the voice of the girl who meant everything. _She's everything just before everything goes wrong._ I thought to myself.

"Embry, please come on we need to talk." I didn't want to talk I just wanted to fall further in to the foliage. I just wanted to disappear. I knew I couldn't though… I knew I couldn't disappear, this hell I'd become accustomed to wasn't going anywhere and neither was I. I opened my eyes she had her arm extended to help me up, I took it and let her pull my up with my help. I forced myself to endure the pain that I knew was about to come, more than that I needed to hear it.

"You still love me don't you?" I asked. She sighed slowly closing her eyes and then looked back at me. Her eyes followed her finger up the side of my arm then stopped at my shoulder and her eyes made them up to mine.

"Yes… I do" those three words penetrated my concentration. _She loves me still. I knew it, but that's not good enough is it?_ I had missed her so much, and deep down I knew she missed me too. She was very good at hiding it. Her explanation ripped in to my heart. It was about how she loved her Rick too. I took it all in without gulping, without sprinting away. _How would I run?_ She could easily catch me I can't phase for another couple days. I nodded trying to step away. _Why am I walking away like I'm going to a better place, I'm just lining up for some more rejection._ She looked at me as she caught my hand. Something caught in the back of my mind.

"It was you at my door when I was playing guitar, wasn't it?" She nodded letting go of my hand and wrapping it around her body, as if protecting herself.

"I was afraid. I came to check if you were okay, I knew you were but I just needed to see that you were okay… I guess it was an excuse to see you… When I heard you playing that I couldn't come in. That's why Rachel was keeping you there. She was doing it for me, I called her and told her I was coming back to check on you. I talked to her after I couldn't see you… so I cut you off on your way out. I didn't get back to Forks until an hour ago, I came straight to see you." I nodded.

"I couldn't walk in and start talking to you, not when you were sitting there singing that song. I couldn't do it Embry." I nodded. I understood, all along I wasn't hallucinating it was her, somehow I knew it was her at the door. She looked at me in the eye and then pulled me to her and hugged her tightly, I felt her breathe… I knew that breath… It was how she breathed right before she cried.

"We'll work this out Embry… Something will come of it…" I nodded reassuring her… I hugged her tightly and then let go slowly. She started to turn away but I restrained her. "Leah…" I said holding on. She looked back in to my eyes for that moment. "I love you too."

**And that, my lads and Lasses is the chapter. Yeah I've got crazy college stuff So I don't know how fast I'll update or even if I'll get to doing to before Finals are over (that's bull shit I know I'll get to it way before that but don't quote me, it's called a safety bubble) Thanks for reading, give me your high fives, knucks, reviews, and rolls of twenty dollar bills (I'm a starving college student)**


	8. Starry Night

**Disclaimer: So hmm I've been listening to Joe Satriani, proving that I'm not Stephenie Meyer… don't ask why… too late to get in to that shit…**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Seriously Joe Satriani is the shit… listen to him**

**Embry's POV**

I had made a detour from my original destination, but it was more than necessary. I took in the cool breeze. The scent of the pine trees and the maple leaves as the seasons changed. An odd familiarity was in it. It was indescribable what this place did to me. It wasn't as thick as Washington but the trees felt like home it felt warm. It was a clear night, the stars were illuminating the sky. It was breathtakingly beautiful. I stopped and stared up at the night sky just for a moment taking it in, breathing in the atmosphere of Minnesota. Alice must have known I was coming because I made my decision days ago, but to their credit my phone hadn't rang once. I did hear something that was out of place. I was still a quarter of a mile away from the house and I could hear guitar in the distance… It was a beautiful song, I pressed my body to run faster to hear the song. _That has to be Jasper, but this isn't like him._ I thought, he wasn't the type who liked attention, he had changed a bit, but not that much. He continued playing, following the song. I stopped my sprint at the mouth of the driveway. I hadn't heard it originally but Emmett was playing an acoustic guitar next to Jasper. Both hooked up to one amp. Jasper looked like he was pouring his heart out in to the guitar, the song was so beautiful. Emmet was leaning against the railing in front of the house. Jasper standing on the Edge staring up at the stars, and occasionally down at his guitar. I continued walking. The song came to its soft ending and He finally looked up at me. I grabbed him and pulled him towards me wrapping him in a strong hug over his guitar. He didn't have anything to say, this wasn't anything new though.

"Hey Embry, welcome home." He said pulling away slightly to look at me. His face betrayed little to no emotion but that wasn't particularly new. He smiled.

"It's good to see you again Jasper." I said pulling away.

"Hey, if you're going to start making out I'll leave." Emmett had put down his guitar. I turned and charged at him planting my shoulder in to his stomach and forcing him over railing to fall seven feet to the ground. Emmett laughed hardily as I stood up and he got up right after me. My focus turned back to Jasper.

"What was that amazing song?" He smiled slightly.

"It's called _'Starry night'_ by Joe Satriani" He said unplugging the Amp. At the moment I was knocked off balance but I didn't fall. I was caught by a pixie shaped Vampire girl I knew as Alice. I laughed hardily realizing who it was I awkwardly wrapped my arms around her before I could see her face, I only knew it was her because Esme was slightly taller, that and she wouldn't be doing this. Rosalie was blonde and would never do this, and Bella and I were never that close.

"Hi Alice." Her grip was very tight. It wasn't a normal hug from her, of course normal from her wasn't normal.

"You're leaving again, aren't you." I coughed and her grip loosened considerably.

"Yeah Alice, I've got something I got to deal with… something I have to face… I'll be back as soon as I can be. I promise." She released me and Rosalie swaggered out of the front door.

"yeah, well don't be away too long, it's boring here without you keeping it interesting." She moved next to Emmett, a very small flying _Object_ was flung at me. Until I realized it was Ness.

"Hey Ness." I said pulling her back to make sure it was her. Jacob followed out of the door slightly slower. I gave him a quick hug then turned to the Carlisle, Esme, Edward, and Bella who were at the door.

"I know you all heard me, I'll be back as soon as I can be." Esme approached at a human speed and then held her hands out as if asking for a hug, I hugged her.

"I'll be back, should be sooner rather than later, I'll just go talk to her, get this all said and done and I'll be back… granted running there will take me a while on foot." Edward opened his mouth to offer his car but I cut him off.

"No, I want to run… helps me clear my head." I waved at all of them then turned back.

"I'll be back before you know…" I stopped midsentence and eyed Alice…

"Nevermind."

I was glad Carlisle insisted on putting new bandages on my shoulder. It was better now that the bandages were newer. It was a long run back to Chesapeake, Virginia. She wasn't at her apartment. Her roommate told me she was camping alone with her boyfriend, I tried to hide the pain but she must have seen it in my face. Now I was trailing around Chesapeake, _Yeah, great job Embry… this isn't creepy at all._ My self berating ended as I saw a small camp site, the tent was nice, but there was only one. I silently cursed hoping it wouldn't be them, that she wouldn't be sleeping in the same tent as he was. She stepped out of the tent, it was dusk and they had made a fire. _That cheap whore! _I screamed to myself. I tried not to let it get to me. No I was in no condition to talk to her. _I thought you were going to avoid running away anymore, you know face the music. Time to sink or tango. Did I just think that? How fucked up was that?_ I thought angrily. I turned my back, she didn't need to know I was here. I turned back but caught the scent of something I'd never mistake. It was toxic, the dark bloody smell of the most horrid and nightmarish scent I know. _Vampire._ I'd become accustom to the smell of the Cullens but here when I knew there wasn't a Cullen around it was the one smell I never wanted to smell. My eyes turned back to the camp site. _Oh, shit! That's just unlucky… _I said seeing the irony. I didn't want them to see me. There was no point in telling them to run. If the Vampire picked up their scent they couldn't possibly get away. I made circles around the site and through the trees trying to erase their scent leaving my unpleasant one behind. I jumped from tree to tree and circled around them hoping they wouldn't leave their site. I was sprinting and jumping from branch to branch trying to layer my scent around them, to protect them. I stepped to quick without making sure one branch was safe. There was a loud crack below my foot I grabbed the trunk of the tree and jumped off but the damage had been done. I jumped to a different tree immediately but D's boyfriend grabbed a rifle and pointed it up at the trees.

"Come down here now or I'll shoot… I'm warning you I'm a good shot." I snorted at the remark and switched trees.

"Yeah good luck with that." I called out to him jumping from tree to tree in case he had an itchy finger. Last thing I wanted was this numb nut injuring me if I ended up needing to fight the vampire.

"I will kill you, come down with your hands up and I'll let you walk away." I laughed hard at that and jumped to a lower branch behind him. I caught it with my right arm and hung upside down with one hand. D turned and faced me but her boyfriend was still looking the other way. She looked slightly amused as I was hanging upside down only a couple feet from the ground. I let go and flipped back to my feet.

"Yeah, sorry ask D how affective bullets are some other time." I said with a smirk referring to the first time she met me. She was smirking to and trying not to laugh. His rifle was still in hand. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Oh please, put that damn gun away before you get yourself hurt." I said knowing full well he couldn't shoot me before I closed the distance between us.

"What the hell are you doing here you stalker!" His words were of little concern. I turned my attention to D. What he said held very little importance to me. The Vampire was here… they picked up my scent. I needed to find a way to get out of here and not raise suspicion. _Oh yeah that's going to be easy, excuse me I have to fight a Vampire did I mention I'm a werewolf? Yeah I suppose I should have told you that on the first date type fielding shouldn't I? I'm house broken though, I'm a good dog. SHUT UP._ I told myself knowing that wasn't important right now. I turned shrugged.

"I suppose that means you want me to leave?" I said rolling my eyes at the boyfriend. He nodded.

"Yeah get the fuck out of here Embry!" he yelled. _Oh! He knows my name, scary!_ I thought sarcastically.

"Okay." I said putting up no fight and running towards the Vampire. I heard in the background _You idiot, people are looking for him!_ She didn't chase behind me, luckily knowing she could never keep up. I stopped knowing the Vampire was here. He had thin black hair, his clothing was clean and perfect, his black button down shirt didn't have a wrinkle in it, he had an aura of darkness and focus about him. he was a monster I could see it in his bright red eyes.

you, consider yourself lucky." He looked past me taking a whiff despite hating my smell. I couldn't place his accent and he was very pale.

"But that… that smells much better." Color faded from my face immediately. He could smell D and her boyfriend.

"I can't allow you to do that." He laughed darkly at me.

"Consider yourself lucky for some reason you smell awful to me, but if you'll excuse me I have dinner plans." I sighed I knew I wasn't supposed to phase but I wasn't given much of a choice. I dropped my pants and underwear and let the heat flow up through my spine. In a matter of seconds all the bandages lay scattered on the ground and in a moment I was after him chasing him. I severely hoped he liked to play with his food because he could bite D before I got there if he went straight to business. I saw him in the distance, he was talking to them. He lifted his nose to the air slightly. I jumped at him but he moved out of the way. I stopped and turned around facing him, putting myself between him and D. The boyfriend I really didn't care about… really I'd be willing to compromise if he would just let D go. _Oh D would hate that._ He stood straight up staring at me then realization dripped in to his eye.

"Oh, that makes this much more interesting." He said eying me. I let out a fierce howl. I charged at him and turned left then jumped at him he evaded. He mocked fear.

"Oh no! the big bad wolf will get me!" I heard something behind me. _'Yeah I'm going to shoot the wolf before it kills him!'_ That was D's boyfriend. The Vampire had a huge grin on his face. I jumped at him and he dodged then I turned around and head butted D's boyfriend in to a tree. I had to admit… that felt _really _good. I picked up the gun in my mouth and broke it in to spitting it out and returning my focus back to the Vampire.

"Oh no that monster is right next to you!" D was paralyzed with fear standing next to me, the look on her face was sheer horror. I tried to look at her say something but all I could do is stare at her eyes.

"I'll save you!" he said sarcastically as he ran at me. My attention was still on her as his foot connected with my ribs throwing me in to the air. I groaned in pain as I landed on my feet. I diverted my strength to my left and tried something I hadn't yet I went in for the bite then faked and pawed him instead. I left a large scar ripping his shirt in two. He grabbed his chest looking at me in disbelief. I bared my teeth at him. He backed up slightly then charged at me. He clawed at my shoulder as I pawed him across the face, he cut deep in to my skin with two of his fingers. I refused to show pain. It was nearly unbearable but I wouldn't show how much pain I was in. he stepped back with anger in his eyes. I growled at him again.

"This was fun, we'll have to do this again…" he laughed running away. I tried to chase him but my shoulder was in too much pain, plus it was still tender from Seth. I ran to where my clothing was and slid my underwear and pants on but not without pain. He chose to cut in to my left shoulder, the same one that was already in pain. I tried to get up but I placed strain on my shoulder pushing myself up, I screamed in agony. _Stupid, Stupid Embry!_ I heard the sound of running feet. I knew it had to be D. I forced myself up to my feet quickly. My ribs were in pain from the kick. I couldn't run fast.

_Run now! Get out of here before she gets to close._ My mind told me but my body didn't respond. It stayed planted where it was

"Embry? Oh my Embry are you okay?" she screamed as she got closer to me. Her boyfriend wasn't far behind. I winced in pain as I tried to roll my shoulder back causally. I hoped she didn't notice but she did.

"I'll be okay, don't worry, I'll be fine." Her boyfriend came after her with an extra shirt of his. She immediately ripped it. she looked at me for a moment before grabbing peroxide her boyfriend brought with.

"This is going to sting… a lot…" she said staring me right in the eye. Her hand came in contact with my arm. Her touch was electric to me. It was warm, but it wasn't warm like Leah. It was different I might have felt something that wasn't there but it felt like a soft tingling in my arm. I didn't remove my gaze from her eyes as she poured peroxide on my arm, I didn't flinch. I felt a small sting but nothing substantial. She gave me a look questioning me.

"Didn't that hurt?" I shrugged. She wrapped my arm with a tight knot of his shirt. I looked away when something in her eyes changed. It was like she recognized me. I looked away. I needed to keep my secret.

"Come on, we're going back to my house. I need to make sure you're okay you're staying the night." She didn't ask, she told me. I nodded after all that's what I wanted I needed to protect her, even if she thought she was going to nurse me back to health. D and her boyfriend packed up their camp site and I stepped away pulling out my Cell phone.

"Hey Embry what's up?" I heard on the other side of the phone.

"Jasper… I need you to come to me as soon as possible, bring Emmett, and Rose if possible… I've got a vampire problem."

I had settled in to the recliner in her house. Her father had fixed her with a very displeased look when she brought me in. The story she told him was that I was attacked and she was looking over me because I didn't have insurance and the damages to my arm weren't severe enough to go to the hospital. He bought it but I had to sleep in the recliner in the living room that was not large enough for me anyway. D was sleeping up in her room her parents in their room and I in their living room. As soon as they turned the lights out I moved to the floor so I could actually stretch my body out. I didn't need to blanket they gave me. I tossed and turned trying to get comfortable not putting pressure on my left shoulder. I tossed and turned for over an hour before deciding to sleep outside on the grass regardless. It was two A.M. I had started trying to go to bed three hours ago. My Cell phone lit up to "Psycho Killer" by the Talking Heads. I flipped it open.

"Hey Jasper, what's up?"

"Just thought I'd give you an update, we're driving to meet you, Emmett, Rose and myself, we should be there in a little over a day." I nodded. After hearing that bit of news I relaxed and let myself finally fall asleep looking in upstairs window from the ground in front of it, it was D's window… And I used to think Edward was a stalker.

**Funny, I could have sworn I said I wouldn't update till maybe after finals and here I am, what 2 days later updating? Epic fail… I know that Chapter is short… But I JUST updated and I wrote all of that this night, in the expanse of four hours? That's kind of crazy fast for me so you should all be appreciative. High Fives, Comments, Knuckes, rolls of twenty dollar bills, reviews… all that! Well Thanks for reading.**


	9. Monster

**Disclaimer: oxxxxxox::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ) hey look a lightsaber! Guess what? I'm still not Stephenie Meyer**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Quench my thirst with gasoline… (I'm ashamed at how many people don't know those lyrics)**

**D POV**

I woke up quickly. I wasn't a morning person but I remember Embry was sleeping in my living room. I needed to make sure he didn't run away, that he was fine._Yeah, he's definitely fine_. I thought to myself throwing on my clothing. _Shit my hair is a mess!_ I forced myself to calm down and fix it slightly so it at least looked presentable. Now that I had time I thought about last night. It was the first time we touched. It wasn't normal… definitely not under normal circumstances. His touch was amazing, his arm was so warm. His smell was something I'd never experienced, it lingered of woods, pine… nature, it smelt. _His body was so warm I just wanted to hug him, I might have if my boyfriend wasn't right behind me._ I ran down the stairs needing to see him. He's gone… I looked around the room, everything was as if he was never here. The blankets I gave him were neatly folded on the chair it was seven A.M. he couldn't have left. My mom walked in the room with a smile immediately seeing the look on my face.

"What's wrong dear?" I bit my lip looking around one last time. I let my breathe out slowly and tried to hide my disappointment but my mother could always read me.

"He's gone, Embry… I brought him back here and now he's gone." She laughed with a smile wrapping an arm around me turning me towards the window.

"No he isn't, he and your father are sparring outside." _Sparring? Are you kidding me? My father will kill him he's a retired navy seal!_ I thought back to my first encounter with Embry. _Oh shit he's going to hurt my father!_ I ran to outside following a deep laughing noise. I searched and in the distance I saw Embry bent over backwards and my dad was standing over him with him in a wrist manipulation. They both were laughing.

"Should I get out of this yet?" Embry asked my father, he laughed in response.

"Sure you can try." He said as a challenge.

"It might hurt a little when you end up on your back." He warned. My dad laughed in response. They were both having the time of their life.

"I'm not that old kid, don't stress yourself." Embry laughed in response and bent back further placing his hand on the ground then pushing off with his legs balanced on one and kicked back pulling on the and I watched as my dad flipped forward landing on his butt. I was very impressed. I hadn't ever seen anyone get the best of my dad. Embry reached out and helped him back up. My Dad was still smiling.

"You'd make a hell of a Seal, if you were say, a foot and a half shorter, you couldn't sneak out of detention, much less in to enemy territory." Embry laughed patting my dad his eyes turned to me behind him. I thought I was quiet. Something my father noticed.

"You've got good hearing too don't you" He smiled and nodded, but he wasn't smiling at me he was smiling at my dad. His attention was to me, I was coming closer and he didn't look completely comfortable with that, I saw it in the way his expression changed.

"Hey I'm going to go for a run."

"Yeah I'll join you." He tried to look polite but I already knew what he was going to say, My dad was in amazing condition but when I tried to keep up with Embry he left me in the dust effortlessly.

"Sir, I mean no disrespect but you can't keep up with me." My father turned to me and I nodded, confirming what Embry said.

"We'll need to spar again."

"Definitely." Embry confirmed before sprinting off in to the distance. He turned to me when Embry was out of sight. He wiped off some sweat off his face.

"He, I like. Why aren't you dating him?" he asked poking fun at me.

"Dad!" I said giving him a look. _Why aren't I dating him? Obviously because it wouldn't work._ I told myself. He pulled me in for a very warm hug.

"Hey want to go in and help mom prepare breakfast?" my dad asked, I nodded.

Embry had returned from his run and was eating with us. He made conversation but he seemed slightly awkward. He ate what we gave him but didn't ask for more or less, everything on his plate was gone. It might have just been me but I could have sworn he was still hungry, and yet he didn't say a word. He was exceedingly polite, only talking when being spoken to. I guess he was kind of shy. I never saw that in him before now. I didn't understand but my parents pestered him with questions.

"Oh Wynea could you grab the apple juice from the fridge." I got up and headed over. Embry was smirking slightly. I couldn't figure out why. I walked back with the apple juice and fixed him with a look.

"Something funny Embry?" He shrugged

"Nothing princess." He said still smirking. My dad started laughing loudly. _Of course he'd know Wynea means princess, he's native American too._ I thought to myself. My dad turned to him.

"Where are you from, that you still can speak our language?" he was nervous, turning his gaze back from me to my parents and back. He looked really reserved. I knew the line he told me about being from Minnesota was not true. I knew he lived there though. He sighed and rolled back his shoulders forcing himself to relax.

"I'm from the La Push reservation in Washington." He said. That's where Jacob Black is from. The person Nick connected with Embry by last name since he gave us a fake last name. Maybe it wasn't fake after all? Maybe he had a second last name. _Why are you so interested?_ I asked, he helped with dishes and then left for another jog, saying he had to take care of something else.

He came back and I noticed something on his left hand.

"Embry, there's blood on your hand." He looked immediately worried, like there was something I didn't know, a secret. He recomposed himself and smiled

"Oh yeah I cut myself on my run can I use a bathroom?" I showed him to it but I knew there was something more to that. He was lying, I could already tell when he was lying. That one was easy, he might as well have said it out loud with that look on his face. I would find out what he was doing. Why he was lying to me._Oh like when you lied to him telling him you weren't wealthy, that's an understatement._ I thought pointedly at myself. I knew it wasn't his blood, but he's not a murderer. I knew that. I had no clue where the blood came from.  
My father didn't like him walking around without a shirt on so he found one that might fit him, one of Carters shirts. He took it and thanked him throwing it on. The shirt was very small on him, after all Carter was about five inches shorter and not nearly as ripped as Embry. _Damn… he looks so good with that shirt tightly clinging to his every muscle in his chest._ I forced myself not to think of his sculpted body which was much more difficult than I would have thought but in the end I looked away. I forced myself to look at his face, not even letting my eyes stray down to his shoulders that were on the verge of splitting the 2XL shirt in half. He was smiling at my struggles.

"Is there something wrong D?" he asked innocently. I had narrowly avoided ever looking at him without his shirt on before but for some reason the plain black shirt just pulled my eyes back to his amazing body. _Oh what I'd love to do with that body._ He was definitely attractive, but his personality, the way he was how he acted, was what really attracted me to him. I was at a loss of words. The way he was confident was more attractive to me than his body. It wasn't cocky, he wasn't a jerk.

"Hey, I saw a guitar at your…" I stopped midsentence looking for the right word.

"Place… would you like to play? We built a sort of stage area in a barn we have." He nodded followed me out. I felt like he was checking me out, but I couldn't know when I looked back he was looking somewhere else, in fact he was looking many other places… anywhere but at me. _He was definitely checking me out… That's so hot._ I thought to myself.

**Embry's POV**

First she catches me with blood on my hands from breakfast, I and she nearly catches me checking out her ass. I fell for her personality, but her ass was definitely nice. _Why is she laughing? Shit she knows I was checking her out._ That was a bit more then slightly embarrassing. _But damn she looks good._ I could hardly blame myself I hadn't even been kissed in nearly a year, and she was very attractive, and not a two dimensional bimbo. I followed her in to the room. She handed me a guitar making sure not to touch me. It was an electric guitar. I looked down at and remembered how good she was at guitar. _It's like Jasper all over again_. I thought to myself.

"You've heard me play something, you should play something." She said looked at me. _She wants to hear me play something? I guess I'll play a song somewhat 'appropriate' to what I am._

"You got a Mic?" I asked. _If I was going to make a fool of myself I'm not going to half ass it._ She got up and dug through a wooden cabinet and pulled out a microphone and a cord. She handed me the cord and I connected it to my guitar, then the amp. She plugged in the microphone and moved the stand in front of me. I loosened the strap to as low as possible, I was much bigger than the last user of it. D turned on lights that blinded my eyes.

"Wow, you guys really do have a stage." She laughed and nodded, I barely could see her past the bright lights. I strummed once. The guitar was in perfect tune. That was strange to say the least. I started strumming. These lyrics were more true then she'd know.

"The secret side of me, I never let you see  
I keep it caged but I can't control it  
so stay away from me, the beast is ugly  
I feel the rage and I just can't hold it." I sang getting more in to the song. My hands were getting used to the cord progression I'd learned before. I really started to sing.

"It's scratching on the walls, in the closet, in the halls  
It comes awake and I can't control it  
hiding under the bed, in my body, in my head  
why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?"

"I feel it deep within, It's just beneath the skin  
I must confess that I feel like a mother  
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun  
I must confess that I feel like a monster" I prepared and then yelled in to the microphone.

"I, I feel like a monster!  
I, I feel like a monster!" I continued the riff on the guitar bringing it out a bit more and moving my body with the music, just slightly.

"My secret side I keep hid under lock and key  
I keep it caged but I can't control it  
'Cause if I let him out he'll tear me up, break me down  
why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?"

"I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin  
I must confess that I feel like a monster  
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun  
I must confess that I feel like a monster."

"I feel it deep within, It's just beneath the skin  
I must confess that I feel like a monster  
I, I feel like a monster  
I, I feel like a monster" I said pushing my vocal cords slightly further. _Don't want to half ass it now._

"It's hiding in the dark, it's teeth are razor sharp  
there's no escape for me, it wants my soul, it wants my heart  
No one can hear me scream, maybe it's a just a dream  
Maybe it's inside of me, stop this monster!" I said yelling the last three words.

"I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin  
I must confess that I feel like a monster  
I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun  
I must confess that I feel like a monster"

"I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin  
I must confess that I feel like a monster  
I've gotta lose control, he something radical  
I must confess that I feel like a monster" I prepared to yell the last lyrics.

"I, I feel like a monster  
I, I feel like a monster  
I, I feel like a monster  
I, I feel like a monster" I yelled finishing the song. The cord progression ended and I looked out at the scene. D was dimming the lights as she came closer to me.

"Wow, you're pretty brave to do that, singing in front of people, I can barely play guitar in front of people." She said turning off the microphone and unplugging it. I shrugged carefully taking off the guitar.

"A friend of mine once told me that if people only accept you when you're acting normal they aren't worth your time, but then again when I met him he didn't have many friends." I said reflecting back on Mike Iverson. I'd need to go visit him when this was all over. I wanted to hold her, hug her, say something, but I couldn't. She had a boyfriend, and even if she didn't I didn't imprint on her… meaning I couldn't tell her my secret. She helped put me back together after Leah ripped me apart. It didn't seem fair that there wasn't another person on this world I could tell our secret to, the only person was Leah, the only one I had a chance of having a relationship without lies and hidden facts, her and an imprint. I had given up on imprinting though I never wanted to in the first place. The highest chance for me imprinting was for me to walk around like an idiot and wait for one of my friends to have a kid and hope that I imprint on their child. _Yeah that's exactly what I want to do for the next twenty plus years._ I shook my head angrily forgetting I wasn't the only one in the room.

"Embry what's wrong? Do you want to tell me something?" The way she phrased that, she made it sound so easy, as if telling her was obviously what I should do. _Yes, D… I'm a werewolf, well not exactly a werewolf. They call what we do 'phasing' I turn in to a wolf. I'm a protector of my tribe. Yes I'm a monster, and I turn in to a beast when I become angry. Oh no I still use a toilet no big deal right?_ I cursed myself. I was a mythological creature, I didn't exist in a world she did… we really were worlds apart, and no matter how much I wanted to change that I couldn't. It was good that she had a boyfriend, because I could never leave her under any other circumstance. I could run, but I wouldn't be able to stay away. Right after she told me she had a boyfriend she said 'we are worlds apart.' If she only knew how right she was. _To answer your question D Yes I have something I want to tell you._

"No... I don't."

**D POV**

"Embry what's wrong? Do you want to tell me something?" I asked knowing there was something. He wasn't talking about. He was rather talkative but from our conversations I knew he was a thinker, and right now he was over thinking something. I watched the expression on his face slowly dim. It's as if he considered my question, really considered it. I could see in his eyes… it wasn't simple as yes or no to him and by the way he hadn't answered me I knew he was considering telling me. His face became darker he finally looked at me as if running the words through his head one last time.

"No… I don't." he said finally answering my question. I bit my lower lip. I hoped he would tell me the truth. He looked so sad, like he felt like he was betraying me. I looked away for a moment, and then he spoke

"But it's true… I am a monster." He said firmly, no doubt in his voice. I shook my head moving closer to him but not touching him.

"No you aren't Embry… I may have just met you, but I talked with you for a long time before that… I can tell you that you aren't a monster… You're an amazing person." He scoffed slightly and turned his face away. I reached up and slapped him in the face bringing his face back to look at me. He was completely unfazed by the slap, as if it didn't feel it.

"Listen to me Embry Black, you're a good person, you're not a monster…" He shook his head but didn't argue.

"Call…" He responded but didn't say anything else.

"What's that?" I asked, why did he say 'call'?

"That's my last name… Embry Call… Black is the name of my step brother… my real father."

**Embry's POV**

I silently cursed myself at the dinner table for letting myself fall for this girl. _Letting yourself fall for her? She had you before ever met her. Shut up._ I thought. D's mother asked a question and I thought to remember what it was.

"No, everything looks delicious, Mrs. Steramin." I said

"Please, call me Jill." She said as she passed me the mashed potatoes.

"Thank you Mrs. Steramin." I said taking the potatoes. D started laughed then I quickly realized why. I shook it off. As I ate what they gave me, making sure I didn't eat anymore than D's father. After the meal was over I did the same thing I did at the other two meals, excused myself and went for a hunt to round off supper. I found a deer as I had for the last two meals, while deer wasn't nearly as tasty as smaller woodland creatures I wanted to eat quickly. I double checked making sure there wasn't any blood on me before running back to D. I didn't want repeat of breakfast. That was too close. I phased back and ran the last hundred yards to D who wore a disapproving look on her face. _Damn she's hot_. I sighed.

"What are you up to when you run off after every meal?" I smirked sliding in to my cocky air.

"Maybe if you could keep up with me you'd find out." She crossed her arms and this time definitely looked pissed off.

"There is a difference between having confidence and being cocky, one is attractive, one makes me want to hit you upside the head, guess which one you're showing right now." I nodded and laughed. She began walking and I followed.

"How's your shoulder from the wolf attack?" she asked. _Wolf attack huh? Well I don't suppose she knows what that guy was, but she obviously knows he isn't human._ I realized I hadn't answered her question.

"Yeah… It's fine…" I said awkwardly. We stopped walking. I could still see the house but it was a good distance away. I didn't like how far away we were getting from the house, but then again the house didn't offer the protection, I did. I stopped and looked in to her eyes under the star lit sky. Her eyes, were so beautiful and green. We were only a couple feet away. More than anything I wanted to kiss her crimson lips and the way she was looking in to my eyes she wanted me to. I could smell her clearly from this distance her scent was overpowering, it was beautiful but at the same time something was wrong. I pulled away and looked to my right. I heard a clapping sound from the trees.

"Oh, bravo, bravo! You found me." The vampire took a bow.

"I congratulate you on catching me by surprise yesterday." He was laughing.

"But we were never properly introduced were we? I am Xavier. I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself last night, but I'm not used to having to. Usually people don't survive long enough to make it worth it, but this hunt… it's become oh so rewarding… my mouth is watering." I stepped between D and Xavier.

"Go back to your home." I said pushing her gently back.

"He's a monster though, no you'll get killed." Xavier was laughing in the background as I had this conversation. He was bent over laughing.

"She doesn't know your secret does she?" He asked. _Shit! No I need to get her out of here._

"D, run… I'll take care of this." I said turning to face Xavier. He shook his head and wagged his finger in our direction.

"Oh no, oh no no! That just wouldn't do, that wouldn't be fun at all! She thinks I'm a monster but she has yet to see you… How about this… if she runs I'll catch her." He said enjoying himself thoroughly.

"I haven't enjoyed a hunt like this before… truly the fight for the victory is the best part." D gasped behind me.

"What about my boyfriend, oh no he's in danger." I shook my head in front of her.

"No… Xavier here couldn't care less about him… He knows I don't give a shit about him… he wants you because I won't let him have you…" he bore his teeth at me.

"You are quite right, oh dear me, I don't believe caught your name." he said. I snorted.

"I don't believe I dropped it." I said snidely responding.

"Right you are my young rival, this will be fun." I didn't like his mouth.

"D… Close your eyes please… You don't want to see this…" Xavier was laughing.

"Oh D, believe me you want to see what he really is." He said goading me, he was enjoying this far too much.

"What's he talking about Embry?" Xavier laughed evilly.

"Embry is it, now that's a new one on me."

"Close your eyes… you don't want to see this." I said talking to D.

"As fun as our game we are playing is, it's time for the main event. I'll give you the time so I can see the look on her face when you change." He said laughing.

"This is better than television, you don't get to see this kind of betrayal." He said cackling in glee. I lowered my head ashamed and sighed.

"I'm sorry D." I said before pulling my shirt off.

"What are you doing Embry?" She asked as I took my pants off leaving only my boxers on. I sighed relaxing staring at the ground. Then I raised my eyes to Xavier anger burning in them. I felt the familiar heat burning up my spine and in a matter of seconds I was a wolf. The wolf that protected D last night. I heard a gasp from her behind me.

**D POV**

"I'm sorry D." he said as he pulled off his shirt. Even in the dead of night his body looked amazing. I stopped myself. He started taking his pants off.

"What are you doing Embry?" I asked. He didn't look back at me. He looked down at the ground. his face moved to face Xavier. His body started shaking and in the short span of seconds he turned in to a wolf. He turned in to the wolf I saw last night._ He was protecting me last night! _I yelled at myself not seeing it in hindsight. His eyes were the same. He looked back in to mine just for a moment and I saw those same beautiful brown eyes I was looking at earlier. It was him, and last night I knew there was something about that wolf.

**Embry's POV**

My attention turned to Xavier as I growled circling around him. His attention turned to D.

"So you haven't told her what I am yet have you? Or what I plan on doing to her after I've disposed of you?" I howled at him. _No that wasn't something he was going to scare her with._ I ran at him he tried to get out of my range but I caught him with my paw pulling him to my center and ramming his body through a tree watching it fall behind him. He went for a scrapping attack over my head but I pulled back to get a better angle. He jumped over me and I turned back and caught his leg with my paw tripping him up in midair but he still landed on his feet, but not before I used my other paw to scar his arm. He looked at his arm then back at me, I didn't like the fact that he was between D and myself.

"It's time for me to finish this… obviously I'll not win in a fair fight" he said turning to D who was twenty yards away. I started running after him pressing my body to its limits. _Please don't let him touch her!_ I thought as I closed the distance between us. His hand was reaching out to grab her as I sunk my teeth in to his torso and whipped him around the opposite direction. He screamed in horror realizing my teeth had bitten through his entire torso. He connected with a very strong hit to the side of my face I released him immediately yelping in pain. I only got two teeth through him leaving a hole from side to side. He looked at me shocked and appalled.

"This isn't over Embry… not by a long shot… She will die, I have her scent… there is no where she can run." He moved quickly to use a stinging kick in my right thigh while narrowly evading a paw, then he sprinted to the woods. I followed him but his kick did the job, I couldn't chase him after fifty yards in to the forest I was in too much pain. I sprinted back to her with a limp. I grabbed my pants carefully in my mouth then ran back in to the woods. I became human again and slid my pants on painfully. I sat there with my head in my hands, hands on my knees. The palms of my hands over my eyes.

**D POV**

I ran after Embry. I needed to know he was okay. In the distance I saw a silhouette of a man with his head in his hands, looked as if he might be crying. I ran as fast as I could knowing it was Embry. I stared at him I wanted to comfort him, he saved my life. He looked so ashamed, so angry with himself. I wanted to touch him but didn't know how he'd react.

_"_I told you I was a monster…" He said finally. How could he see himself as that, he's amazing.

"No you're not." I said not having anything better in response. He laughed. I threw myself at him in the form of a hug holding on tightly to his torso as he awkwardly at first, then slowly, softly wrapped his arms around me and leaned his head against mine.

"Xavier is coming back, isn't he?" I said shuddering slightly. He nodded against my head. I was trying to keep my fear in check but it was getting very difficult.

"Yes… But I will be here, as long as I'm alive… I won't let him hurt you… Don't worry… my friends are coming down here tomorrow." I was still shuddering slightly. He slowly rocked back and fourth.

"Everything will be alright D… Everything will be fine." He said comforting me. I thought I was hugging him to comfort him? When did that change.

"You are really hot." I said immediately cursing myself for the poor choice of words. He laughed slightly.

"thanks." He said trying not to laugh but I could feel it because I was leaning up against his chest. I could feel him smiling, I just knew he was.

"Shut up…"

**Yeah I know I shouldn't be writing but I'm writing instead of doing other things… I guess I'm just a bit addicted to my own story right now (crazy ain't it?) well give me shiny reviews! Thought provoking ones help write my story, a review is while so much of the chapter was in D's POV. I enjoy reading them. Remember high fives, Knucks, and rolls of twenty dollar bills are also acceptable!**


	10. Reinforcements

**Disclaimer: LF1M Stephenie Meyer, No ninjas….**

**Disclaimer Deuce: I've become so numb…**

**Embry's POV**

She took it too well. I told her I was a monster, I told her that I was a mythological creature, I told her that I didn't age, I told her that in the matter of two weeks I grew over half a foot. It was amazing. So freeing to tell someone who I was, what I was. Here we were. I don't remember how exactly this ending up how it did, but I liked where I was now. Somehow we'd worked our way back in to the living room where I had taken up residence, her legs entangled in mine on the couch. We sat here for hours discussing everything. It was amazing I hadn't smiled like this for a long time, I hadn't been this happy. _You idiot you're falling for her. We've already been over this… I am not falling for her, I fell for her. Leave damn you dumb pain riddled dog. I can't I need to protect her._ The look in her eye was so amazing, she looked so intent, so happy to be here. _Why doesn't she see me for the monster I am? How can she possibly just let it slide. _It'd turned in to a game to her.

"I've got a couple questions for you." She said leaning up smiling, her green eyes were bouncing with excitement, her hair was falling on either side of her face. _Does she have any clue what she does to me? How beautiful she is?_ She could be giddy like a school girl or serious, and she was definitely smarter than me, but she'd argue that.

"So you've told me you're 20, you've also told me you're a sophomore in high school… I know you're smart… so which one is it?" I fixed her with a stare, trying not to let my admiration slip out, she was truly amazing said I was smart but she could always read me like an open book, and it was getting easier every moment. _How can she not see now I'm completely lost looking at her face? How is that even possible? She must see it, but how can anyone not see the beauty in her?_ I got lost in my thoughts but stumbled back to the question.

"Well I'm technically twenty, but at the same time my body is to my maximum potential… that could be twenty one to thirty whatever way you look at it… I travel with the Cullens so I go through the grades again, started back at freshmen."

"What do you mean go through the grades again?" She asked, in that moment I realized I said something I wasn't supposed to.

"Umm can we change topics… please I don't want to answer that question." I begged her. I was in no position to deny her anything right now, those eyes… she had me under her spell, I couldn't do much against what she willed. I would write it off as something she'd eventually find out, anything to make her happy… I needed her I couldn't let her go, I couldn't let her down. I needed to feel her skin against mine again. She had to know she controlled me and she could do with me as she pleased and believe me I wanted her to.

"Yeah, sure… I'm sorry." I nodded… she put her hand on her hair softly brushing her hand back through her hair. _Stop thinking about what it'd feel like to run your hands through her hair, stop thinking about what it'd feel like to run your hands through her hair, stop thinking about what it'd feel like to run your hands through her hair!_ I recited to myself. This was just cruel. I didn't know how she handled it but her feet touching mine felt great. _Dude you're flipping out because your feet are entwined? You're one messed up dog._ I wanted so much to feel her warm embrace again, take in her scent, anything. She broke in to my thoughts finally.

"Do you really like eating raw meat or something?" I laughed, _Myths about Werewolves? That I can do without losing myself._ I smiled composing myself trying to stay calm.

"Nope, though I do eat it as a wolf when I need food, I much prefer normal food." She looked at me pondering. _She looks so attractive when she's thinking. She looks so attractive any time!_ I yelled at myself.

"Is that where you go after we eat meals? Why?" _Damn she's good… no wonder she keeps me on my toes._

"Yes, well I eat about twice as much food as your whole family does a meal." I said offhandedly, she frowned at me and crossed her arms.

"Why didn't you say something?" she said disappointed.

"I didn't want to impose" I said truthfully, I honestly feared being thrown out at any moment, I don't know why but I always felt like that.

"Yeah, you're kind of protecting me from a monster." The way she said monster made me flinch, something that obviously she noticed. She closed the distance between us leaving only inches apart. _Intimate isn't it?_ I forced myself to sit back and not move.

"Listen Embry, and listen closely… You aren't a monster, you're one of the most amazing people I've ever known… You might become a wolf, but I don't know many people more human than you." The scent was blowing in to my face, and I could easily see down her tank top she was wearing. I forced myself to look in to her eyes, but I slipped a couple times.

"You didn't know I was protecting you before… I know… I just always feel like I'll get thrown out the door at any moment… I don't know why I can't shake the feeling." She frowned at me. I felt compelled at that moment.

"D, can I have a hug?" I asked genuinely she laughed.

"Did you just ask?" she questioned as if it was so far out of line. She let go of her arms on either side of the couch holding herself up falling against me. I wrapped my arms around her softly, as if she would break with the slightest pressure. Her arms wrapped around me and I sighed as I softly tightened my grip on her. I stopped and took a moment and smelt her hair, I would not forget it. It was the single best moment of my recent life. She didn't release quickly, she stayed there for a couple minutes. She laughed slightly.

"You know you're really warm Embry…" she said as if waiting for a response I had no clue to give.

"Umm, yeah I am…" I said finally confirming an obvious known fact. She laughed slightly and I could feel her whole body move against me as she did.

"You're really comfortable too… I'll fall asleep like this soon." _That was something I was definitely okay with._ I couldn't imagine something better in fact. _That's a lie, imagine her naked…_ I shook the idea out of my head. She was lying on top of me and right now I didn't want her to know how attractive that was. I slowed down my breathing something she noticed.

"You're trying to breath slower; your heart rate is decreasing… why?"

"How'd you notice?" she giggled.

"Embry, my ear is against your chest." At that moment I did something I was way too much of a coward to do, and to other people it might not have been a big deal but it was significant to me, even the smallest of these was a huge step for me. I gently touched my finger to the side of her face and slid her hair from in front of her eyes to behind her ear. I removed my hand slowly which was much harder than I thought it'd be, I was worried she'd slap my hand away, stand up saying a crossed an invisible line. _Damn you invisible lines!_ As crazy as it was it was like walking a minefield, her irate reaction would be the mines. I breathed out heavily. And her hair moved. She giggled again and my heart leapt. I wasn't falling for her… I was completely gone. I heard her heart beat slowing down. I could feel her muscles relaxing completely, each muscle one at a time as her breath calmed down. She was calm. Her body was gone.

"Good night D, sweet dreams…" I said closing my eyes and leaning my head against the head rest. I watched her as she slept. Her soft sighs, the way her body lifted and dropped with each breath, her sweet, beautiful, contented smile. At that moment I knew it and I couldn't deny it anymore. _I love you D._ I exhaled slowly then whispered, _"Cause you're my dream please come true."_

D POV

It was all so much to take in, his story… it seemed like it was something out of a book but I'd seen what he could do. I'd seen the beautiful wolf he became. It didn't scare me away. Maybe it should have but it didn't. Everything about him was completely fascinating. Here we were on my couch in the living room talking about it as if it was all true. _It is true D, look around it's the truth, You've seen him. _I knew that the fact that he could transform _should_ scare me. The fact that he is stronger and faster than anyone I know _should_ make me caucus. The fact that I'd seen him take three bullet wounds and heal quicker and better than anything I've ever seen should make me wary, but it didn't. _Silly D, you know you fell for him. No I didn't I'm over him, I've got my boyfriend now. He's just here to protect me. So that's why you were checking him out? HEY I was window shopping._ I laughed to myself at my own excuse. I wanted to know more about him.

"I've got a couple questions for you." I said leaning up on my knees with a smile._ Why are you smiling so much? I like smiling! Holy crap he's smiling?_ It was like it was a completely different Embry… it was the one I'd talked to so long… I missed him. The one I met was so cold, so harsh it was difficult for me to believe it was the same person. Something had been bugging me, this guy looked like he was older than me but claimed he wasn't, and even said once said he was a sophomore in high school.

"So you've told me you're 20, you've also told me you're a sophomore in high school… I know you're smart… so which one is it?" he stared at me for a while as if forgetting the question then saving himself at the last moment.

"Well I'm technically twenty, but at the same time my body is to my maximum potential… that could be twenty one to thirty whatever way you look at it… I travel with the Cullens so I go through the grades again, started back at freshmen." _Wait start back at freshmen? What the hell does he mean?_

"What do you mean go through the grades again?" At that precise moment he looked like a deer in head lights

"Umm can we change topics… please I don't want to answer that question." The way he looked at me was a real question, it looked like he was almost begging, begging me to ask another question. I would learn more about him, his secrets, but not until he was willing to tell me.

Embry's POV

Two days ago I could have never imagined I would be here, in this situation. _In your best dreams yes._ I thought contradicting myself. Here I was grinning from ear to ear, pinned under the body of one of the most amazing people in the world. I didn't mind that I only slept three hours and I've been awake for two already. I heard a sound from the room behind me and I turned my head to see her father walking out of the room while stretching out. I smiled at him and he walked up to me.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked noticing that there wasn't a hint of drowsiness. He was very observant. I assumed it was a honed skill through his years in the military.

"Well…" I said thinking for a moment. _How long has it been?_

"Well I think I woke up around five, so about two hours?" he wore a knowing smile, something in his eyes looked calm and soft.

"You've been sitting there without moving for two hours…?" he asked again. I nodded softly not letting my body stir the beauty my arms were wrapped around.

"Yeah… I didn't want to disturb her." He laughed softly crossing his arms with approval.

"Sir, you've got a beautiful young daughter." He smiled with a smirk.

"Please call me Mitch." I nodded then sighed heavily…

"Yes she's grown in to a beautiful young woman." He said pulling the cover up to cover her shoulders.

"Sir I'm sorry she just fell asleep like this and I didn't want to wake her." He smiled looking at me.

"I could read you after five minutes of fighting… you wouldn't ever hurt my Wynea, would you." I shook my head fiercely.

"No sir… I mean Mitch." He smiled with knowing eyes.

"I haven't really liked any of the guys she's dated, but that's because I could beat them all up…" he said laughing quietly.

"Then there's that one jack ass she dated." I nodded not needing him to expound. She started to stir in my arms but I didn't move. Her father smiled watching her wake up. She woke up slowly realizing her arms were still around me, she didn't wake up quickly but did it with a smile her face was pointing towards mine.

"Morning Wynea" her father said with a laugh. She jumped up immediately looking red as a tomato, still she was on the couch moving away from me rapidly.

"Ahh hi Dad…" she responded he was still laughing.

"Embry and I had a nice conversation while you were sleeping." Her eyes turned back to me as if I'd betrayed her. He shrugged but she was still tense getting her surroundings as she was still sleepy.

"Hun, I know you just fell asleep… relax, I'll start some breakfast." Her father said leaving the room to the kitchen. She gave me a death glare, however ineffective from her tiredness.

"What'd you talk about?" she said grilling me. I grinned leaning back in to a more defensible position. I smiled evilly then she climbed at me.

"Tell me damn you!" she said climbing through my legs and swinging at me. I caught her arm then her other pulling her in to a restrained grip… then remembered how much she hated that and let her go immediately.

"I'm sorry D… I didn't mean to do that." She looked down at me and nodded slowly.

"I know you didn't Embry… I know you wouldn't do something to scare me like that." I softly nodded still feeling bad. She put her hand on my cheek then softly removed it. I heard someone walking up to the door loudly. Then I heard a knocking. I got up and D did too. She went to answer the door and I saw him, it was her boyfriend. I sighed heavily and walked in to the kitchen without letting either D or her boyfriend see me leave. I made my way to the screen porch door and opened it.

"Where are you running." Her father asked not looking up from the eggs he was making. He was very observant.

"I'm not running anywhere, what gives you that idea?" he laughed turning around. He crossed his arms after moving the eggs to the other burner. He leaned up against the burner and smiled.

"Because you are running away, you can't bull shit me. Where do you think D got her skills at reading people?" I nodded looking him in the eye but didn't say a word.

"Why are you running?" I shrugged.

"Her boyfriend just walked in, and well I'm guessing picking a fight with him isn't exactly the way in to D's heart… I need to go for a run… I'll be around… and D will be able to find me, if she looks." I said walking out of the porch.

D POV

I didn't know who was at the door but I smiled at Embry then got off the couch and went to the door. I opened slowly, slightly suspicious at first.

"Hi there D," he said wearing a huge grin. I threw myself at my boyfriend.

"Hey hun!" I said smiling as I hugged him.

"Why'd you stop by I didn't get ready for you!" he pulled back handing me flowers.

"Do I need a reason to see my princess?" the name princess cascaded through my head resonating repeatedly then I turned around to find Embry. _Gone, DAMN IT!_ I yelled at myself. I ran in to the kitchen looking for him.

"Where did Embry go?" he put the eggs on a plate.

"He went for a run… apparently he didn't want to see you and your boyfriend." I turned around eying my father then putting my hands on my hips.

"What's with that tone?" I asked.

"Oh I'm sorry I assumed the guy you were sleeping on last night was your boyfriend." He said crossing his arms.

"He _was _my boyfriend… I… Where is he?" I said finally. Turning back to the room where I came.

"D you don't look okay, what's wrong?" I tried to fix my expression but I couldn't fix the nagging feelings.

"Hun, there are some things I need to take care of, I'll call you when I can but I need some time." He nodded looking at me.

"Take care of yourself D." he said before softly kissing me on the cheek. I turned after my boyfriend left running back to the kitchen then in to the woods behind my house. I ran looking for him in to the forest. I paced through the forest not finding anything, how was I supposed to find someone who could leave me in the dust? At that moment I heard a soft growl, it wasn't threatening… I followed the sound to trees. There he was. It was the first time I stopped and really looked at him. He was a beautiful grey wolf. His eyes were captivating the same eyes he had in his human form. He didn't look happy but I knew he meant me no harm… it was him. I put my hand out to touch him and he jumped back, as if afraid of me. I noticed his pants were hanging on the tree behind him. I moved closer to him and touched his nose. He backed away again.

"Oh please, just fuck and make up." I heard a female voice behind me.

"Excuse me?!" I said angrily facing her, she was stunning. She was never looking at me.

"Emb, does she know about us." I turned back to her as he shrugged his shoulders. In an instant she was past me and slapped Embry on the nose and he snapped back at her baring his teeth at her. In a flurry of movement I saw a large guy run past me and tackle Embry rolling him on to his back rolling around wrestling with him. I'd see him somewhere before. On the opposite side of me another person appeared.

"Don't worry, Emmett and Embry are just wrestling…" I turned to my right seeing someone I had met.

"You're Jasper right?" he nodded with a smile as he returned his attention on Emmett and Embry. Embry rolled up and ended up on top of Emmet and raised his paw.

"Hah, okay I get it you win." Embry climbed off him then ran past me quickly to the tree to grab his pants and to the other side. In a couple minutes he was back. He didn't look at me.

"Hey Emmett, Rose, Jasper, thanks for coming." He said walking up to Jasper and hugging him first then Emmett then just looking at blond named Rose. She smirked.

"Hah, still don't want to hug me? I'm offended." She said with a laugh.

"I would have if I didn't think you'd puke." She smiled crossing her arms across her chest. Embry smirked. The blond's attention turned to me.

"So this is the one who all the fuss is about? Is she worth it." Jasper scowled at the blond.

"I'm not leaving until I know she's safe." Embry said. _He never said if I was worth it or not._ I had to admit that hurt… but I knew I hurt him too when he saw my boyfriend stopping by and hugging me. _What the hell did he expect? He knew he was around and he'd come around. What's it matter, he's allowed to think what he wants he's saved your sorry ass three times including back in Minnesota._

"So she doesn't know what we are, does she? You're too afraid to tell her what we are?" The blond asked. The larger guy put his arms around her trying to stop her but she didn't stop.

"No I haven't Rose." He said standing up to her.

"You haven't told her what she's dealing with… she's off flirting with some guy while you're protecting her from a blood thirsty Vampire whose only real hope is to kill her by sucking her blood out of her veins until she's nothing but a bone dry corpse." I froze in my place. _She has to be joking, there must be something else._ I was so afraid. Embry stood between myself and Rose.

"Stop it…" Embry growled in front of me at Rose.

"Why Embry, she can't take the truth? She can't live with the sacrifices you're making for her?!? She's a selfish bitch. She has no clue does she? If that vampire so much as sinks his teeth in to you you'll die but you're still throwing yourself at him to save her and she just watches." I was at the point of tears… I didn't know any of this, but I was strong I wouldn't cry I needed to stay calm. I couldn't cry. At the moment I felt a wave of calm come over me. I looked around confused with my relaxed state.

"Jasper, why'd you help her, she deserves what she's getting." Rose said looking back at the smaller of the two males.

"I couldn't take it, Embry wants to protect her and we're all here for him, unless you plan on watching Embry die, you'll be protecting her too." Rose grumbled and disappeared in to the forest. Embry turned back to me but he wasn't wearing his smile his carefree disposition.

"She's right… partially… go back to your perfect little life… I'll be right here until the vampire is gone, then I'll leave you to have your happily ever after without me." He said it with a straight face his body looked so right… so okay… but I could tell he was on the edge of cracking.

"But I don't want that…" I pleaded with him.

"Well you don't always get what you want. Believe me I fucking know. Now get the hell out of here so I can go to bed." Jasper smirked and Embry started smiling…

"Hey Jasper, no fair shooting me with the mojo machine gun." He laughed. Jasper grinned.

"So it's all laughs for you isn't it? Fuck with my heart and… and… and…" I said trying to be angry but realizing I was happy…

"What the hell is going on…" I said slightly happy. Embry gave Jasper a stiff shove.

"That's enough Jasper." I felt my feelings return to normal. Jasper was wearing a unaffected look. He didn't seem to mind anything.

"Yeah go back we've got some catching up to do with our brother." The one called Emmett said. _Our brother? There is no way that's even imaginable, Jacob yes… but not these guys._ I turned to walk away.

"You're so cold but you feel alive." I heard Embry say as I left.

Embry's POV

"Really Embry? What's with the Breaking Benjamin?" Emmett said on my right. Jasper's eyes moved to the east.

"We're not alone…" He said quietly.

"Right you are… Well well Embry… You amaze me more every day… Not only a wolf, but you've managed to befriend some of your own Vampires… This shall be oh so much fun. You've raised the stakes though… You see… if I knew I was supposed to bring friends to our little gathering, I would have." Xavier smiled evilly.

"Yes, too bad. I guess we'll need to finish it." Emmett said. Xavier bowed deeply.

"Oh? No more time for pageantry? That is really quite too bad… I do enjoy this so much." He said as if mourning.

"I'd hate for this not to be a fair fight though." I said clenching his fists his body started shaking and it looked like imagines of him split on either side of him four feet from the one next to him. He smiled.

"Much better…" The Xavier on the left said as he eyed Emmett. Jasper looked uncomfortable.

"Oh don't worry my friend, I'll be here to fight you." The one on the right said look at a Jasper.

"And that leaves me for you, oh joy." The original Xavier said with a smile. All three extended their right hand, palm up.

"At your ready." He said beckoning us on. I dropped my pants and he talked quick.

"Oh a show for me? I must say I'm slightly embarrassed." I turned red.

"Your overconfidence will be your downfall."

"Your faith in your friends is yours." He said as I phased.

"Truly magnificent, You are a beautiful beast… it's not lost on me, come with me and let us travel, you can be my cohort… I'll even let your precious D live… You just need to prove your fealty to me. Kill your two friends… I'll help." I barked out a laugh before lunging for him. He wasn't as quick as he was yesterday. He easily dodged though. From the trees I heard a sound then Rosalie landed softly behind Xavier. Caught the head of the Xavier I was fighting and broke it clean off.

"My, my you even brought a beautiful young lady. I fought against his body as Rose started a fire. She tossed his head in, both other Xaviers ran in different directions. The one Emmett was chasing managed to poke Emmett in his eyes temporarily dazing him to get away but the one Jasper had didn't make it away so easily. I bit off the midsection of his body and threw it in the fire. Jasper and Emmett were restraining the one Jasper was fighting, he was laughing.

"My good Vampires and werewolves… You don't understand… You can't kill me through fire, there is so much more than you see." Rose punched him in the gut then ripped off his left leg.

"If this won't kill you… why do you look so afraid of it?" Rosalie asked throwing his leg in to the fire.

"Now what would life be without a little drama? Theatrics? Twist? I simply can't die, this is too much fun… I can't kill you because I've never had this much fun in my life, or my death" Rosalie ripped of his other leg and tossed it in to the fire as well.

"Tell me, is that fun?" she said smiling.

"I've experienced more deaths than anyone else in this world, You think pain could possibly kill me? No… I survive for moments like this… it's how you'll never finish me… it's just too much fun, good going though, it's been fun… if you rip of my arms next we can keep going with this chat." He said with a smile. Rosalie ripped off his head and tossed it in to the fire. Emmett and Jasper followed her tossing his body in to the fire and watching it burn. We all stared in to the burning inferno.

"We've got a real problem on our hands now don't we?" I said after I changed back to my human form and pulled my pants on standing next to the fire.

"Yes… we do… He can multiply himself… that is definitely multiply himself… we don't know how many of him he can make, and that means he can get the drop on us, plus he has a coven." Jasper said staring in to the fire. Jasper pulled out his phone dialing a number while still looking in to the phone.

"Hey Alice… you're already at the airport with Jacob? Good… we'll need the backup."

**Hey I guess this is the update. Crazy huh? I should stop writing but I can't stop myself like a heroin addict… okay so maybe that's a bit extreme…. High fives, Knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills are all acceptable payment for my chapters, also any ideas you have would be nice as well… I'm glad people are starting to enjoy Xavier, even though he's evil hmm I can't think of a chapter title… well here goes.**


	11. ZZ's Song

**Disclaimer: you Ought to know I'm not Stephenie Meyer**

**Disclaimer Deuce: it's been such a long time… I think I should be going… but time doesn't wait for me it keeps on flowing.**

**D POV**

I didn't like Embry being mad at me… _well duh, I thought you'd enjoy that_. I answered myself condescendingly. It was bad, I felt horrible, but didn't know why… I needed to make things right. I couldn't sleep. I needed to find him, I didn't know what I'd say yet I just knew I needed to talk to him, he looked so hurt. I knew it was one a.m. but he didn't seem to sleep much and I couldn't sleep at all. I made my way out in the cold in my pajama pants and hooded sweatshirt and slippers. I went to where I last saw him and Rose was standing there as if waiting for me.

"What do you want?" she said in the same angry tone she held for me earlier in the day. I crossed my arms, I didn't care if she was a vampire she wouldn't scare me again.

"Listen girl, I don't know what your problem is but I don't care you're-" she scoffed cutting me off.

"You're just like her." She said loathing me. _Her?_ I was hoping she didn't mean what I thought she meant.

"You are just like Leah." She said glaring at me. I reached up to slap her but I missed I barely saw her head move the rest of her body was motionless.

"Wow, really it's like a fucking mirror, besides the fact she was faster, stronger, and prettier than you." She said with an evil smile. _Ouch what a bitch!_ I thought to myself. Emmett appeared at her side whispering too quietly for me to make out. He disappeared quickly.

"Apparently I'm being too harsh on you… fine I'll tell you why you're just like Leah, then you can see him." _What's she mean?_ I didn't like the look in her eye, she seemed to pissed at me.

"You think you're so different then her, but just like her you dumped him for someone else… you never let the wound heal… you just went out with someone else after you broke up with him. I bet you want him to just move on, yeah it's so much easier for you to move on while you cry on his replacements shoulder." She said showing real anger. Emmett appeared at her shoulder again.

"Quiet down, you'll wake him and you know how hard it was for him to fall asleep." Rose clenched her fists then moved to the side. She turned around and walked away and Emmett followed. I looked on then followed behind them.

In the center of a small clearing there he lay. His fur was gray and had patches on it of black on his back. He looked calm, _majestic_ I thought to myself. I had the overwhelming urge to hug him and pet him. Something caught my ear… I heard the sound of a guitar in the background. I saw Jasper leaning up a tree with Embry's guitar playing it. the song was soothing, soft, as if willing Embry to sleep… he played it at such a tempo it couldn't be anything but a sleepy song, almost a lullaby. I walked closer to him I stopped when I neared Embry. I walked closer to Jasper.

"What's that song, it's so calming…" He smiled as he continued playing it. it's soft melody almost lulled me to sleep right then.

"It's called Z.Z.'s Song…" He said continuing to play it.

"It's beautiful… whose it by?" I asked curiously… I felt more comfortable around Jasper than I did the other vampires.

"Joe Satriani… I like his music. It doesn't have lyrics… it's words are its melodies." _Wow, that's so poetic… If I believed Embry was Jaspers brother I'd know where he got his nature now._

"You know I'm the least safe of the three vampires to stand near." He said playing his guitar…

"That one you're so afraid of… she's never once sucked human blood, A distinction not held by her husband, and definitely not by me, I've had the hardest time not drinking human blood…"

"You're not making me sound like a good person again are you Jasper? You know I hate it when you do that." He chuckled softly.

"Sorry Rose I guess I was." He laughed softly.

"Go back and go to sleep." Emmett said from behind me. I turned and obeyed making my way back to my bed. I was almost out of range when I heard Rose call.

"Oh, and tomorrow night, offer him and Jacob a place to sleep inside… they both hate sleeping outside." She said calmly, she didn't have the resentment in her voice she used to have.

"What about you?" she smirked slightly, trying to stay civil.

"We don't sleep."

**Embry's POV**

I woke up early and went for a distance run knowing I didn't need to worry about Xavier… the Cullens were around to watch over D while I was gone. I pushed myself like I hadn't since I was in Washington weeks ago. My body screamed in pain, to me it felt like approval for what I was doing. I made my way back. I decided to take an extended run to clear my head. I made it back to the clearing realizing a real problem. I'd worked up a real sweat, and didn't have a shower.

"Shit…" I said quietly but loud enough that the vampires could hear me.

"What is it Embry?" Jasper asked curiously.

"Well I forgot I really don't have a shower." Emmett shrugged but was quick on his feet anyway.

"There's a river not too far away to the north." I nodded and ran to the north.

**Emmett's POV**

I could see D coming from a distance. _She is persistent_ I thought to myself. She was running I didn't move to greet her, I knew she was here for Embry again, trying to make up for what happened yesterday. There was no way to make it up that didn't involve getting back together with Embry. I didn't think she knew that yet. Embry wasn't the type where if you batted your eyes and said you're sorry everything was okay. He wouldn't be okay till it was reversed. I wasn't sure that's what she wanted though.

"Hey… where did Embry go?" She asked.

"Oh he headed north, to the river stream for a swim" I answered without a second thought.

"Thanks… I'm going to go find him then." She said. I contained my entertainment. Rose was at my side as soon as she was out of normal hearing range.

"You know Embry is probably naked in the water…" She said cooing in to my ear with an evil smile.

"Yeah, that's kind of what I'm depending on." She said with a laugh.

"Oh… great."

**Embry's POV**

The river ended up being large, kind of closer to a lake, or a pond. I hadn't swum in months. It was so relaxing. I felt like water freed me. I dove and held my breath under water. I hadn't really tried holding my breath under water since I first phased, I could hold my breath for nearly two minutes. I came up and caught my breath. It was only five A.M. the sun wasn't even out yet but for some reason I didn't feel comfortable, like I wasn't alone. I quieted myself for a moment to take in the sounds. I heard water moving behind me, from the direction I came. I turned but saw no form, just water moving. Then I saw her. Her head came above water. She saw me staring at her and her look changed from determined to mischievous.

The color from my face faded instantly. _I'm not wearing anything right now_. I thought to myself as I started to slowly swim backwards. She was at least wearing something I could tell that from here. That brought me relief but the fact I wasn't and she seemed determined to get to me didn't help the situation. She swam then stopped when we were within ten feet of each other.

"Hi Embry." She said normally enough, but I wasn't feeling fine. I was naked in the water with her right there and she didn't know it. _Maybe she does?_ I thought to myself. I saw bra straps and realized she must have jumped in her bra and panties. I tried to think of anything else but that became more and more difficult. Swimming in front of me was a woman I was extremely attracted to in her bra and panties and I was skinny dipping. I cursed myself for not wearing my pants._This wasn't supposed to be a public event. Why does she pick today to get up at five A.M.? _I said cursing. She started to close the distance between us. _Think Embry, THINK!_ I didn't have time to think about anything she was coming closer. I did the first thing that came to mind. I clapped my hands together in a seismic splash sending a large wave of water at D. After the fact her mouth was hanging open in astonishment. She splashed back as I was about to apologize catching water in my mouth. I spat it out. She was laughing now as I pushed my arm forward splashing her back. She caught that in the face.

"Hey no fair, I splashed you cause you splashed me first!" she said as if she expected such logic to apply when people are splashing each other.

"You got water in my mouth that's worth at least two splashes!" I said defending my second attack.

"Bullshit!" she yelled splashing at me again. I intertwined my fingers and created another wave splashing her back.

"No fair damn it, you're bigger than me." She said pouting. _Does she have any idea what she does to me when she does that? Oh I'm sure she's well aware of it._ I saw looking in to her eyes. She swam closer to me as I kept backing up. It was still dark out she couldn't see in the water that I was naked, I hadn't quite figured out how I was planning on getting away though. She dove head first and her lower body came up as she dived, giving me a good look as her ass. _Stop don't look damn it! _I tried to tell myself after I had already stared at her ass. _And damn it was good. No shut up, focus… where's D?_ I thought before realizing she was under water swimming closer to me. I dropped under water just quick enough to catch her arms as she tried to reach for me pulling both of us back above water. She saw the fear in my eyes immediately.

"What is it Embry?" She said as I hadn't released my grip on either of her wrists. I focused very carefully on not applying that much pressure. I looked to the horizon and saw the sun begin to rise. I stared at it never wishing so much the sun wouldn't come up.

"Umm hey… I got to get going." She was smiling.

"Hey you could stay here have you ever seen the sunrise while in a lake?" She asked, _She wouldn't be saying that if she knew I was naked…_ I shook my head.

"No I got to be going… things to do." I said submerging then swimming back to where my pants were. I was grateful that Jasper brought my clothes and guitar from my storage unit last night. I swam quickly hoping she wouldn't follow maybe not watch me climb out of the pond butt naked but to no avail, much to my chagrin she could keep up with me easily swimming. _You didn't exactly train in the water all that time you were working out._ I excused myself. I was a human wolf, I was the pinnacle of human strength and speed and this woman who wasn't a professional athlete could out swim me. When we got to the point where I could stand I did and felt the warm air of august on my skin. _Okay problem solving time_. I told myself. _She is ten feet behind me playing in the water, my pants are thirty feet in front of me, how did do I get to them without her seeing me naked._ I stood there for what felt like an eternity then it came to me. I relaxed my body and closed my eyes, and then in a single second I was a wolf again, now up to my body in water. I ran for my pants grabbing them and stepping out of her view to become a human again. I pulled my sweat pants on and walked back out to the water trying to act casual. D stood up and walked out of the water with confidence, her red bra and panties drenched. She caught my eye and stood in front of me with her a smirk.

"See anything you like Embry?" She said pulling her pants back on.

"Ahh… no, well yes, I mean, well… umm I'm sorry." I stumbled as I watched a single drop of water drip from her hair down the side of her beautiful skin. The droplet slipped down her temple then down her cheek. I watched another slide down the side of her neck then down her shoulder to the base of her collar bone and down her chest. I stopped myself before following it any further. She was simply breathtaking. Her beautiful bronze skin while the sun peaked in to view. She might not believe it but she was the image of beauty. She was grinning as she caught me staring at her.

"I guess that means you do like what you see." She said grabbing her shirt and putting it back on. I blushed deep red and started making my way up a tree quickly. I stopped twenty feet up and had a thought. I jumped landing on my legs using my knees to catch my fall. I looked at D skeptically for a moment.

"Have you ever watched the sunrise?" she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I have, I have from a lake and back at my home." She said in a matter-of-factly tone.

"Well have you ever seen it from above the woods?" She shook her head fixing me with a questioning look.

"Would you like to?" She smiled for a moment then asked.

"Hey, you sure you can carry me on your back?" she said questioning me. _You know what you're about to say falls under the category of 'things you never ask a girl' right?_ I couldn't help myself I needed to ask just to see her response.

"Well how much do you weigh?" I said and she gasped and gave me the worst look I've ever seen her give.

"Embry! You don't ask a girl that!" I shrugged and pressed on. _Here goes another one of those questions._

"Well I assume you weigh under three hundred pounds." I asked failing to keep a straight face. She was on the verge of taking a swing at me, if I was within arm's length she already would have.

"That's… not… funny…" she gritted through her teeth. She crossed her arms angrily and her eyes narrowed showing how pissed she really was.

"D, I work out with three hundred pounds on my back, I can carry you, now do you want to see the sun rise or no?" She hadn't moved an inch.

"D, you caught me drooling over you a couple minutes ago, are you seriously going to be mad at me?" She tried to stay stern but after my comment about drooling over her she was failing at keep a straight face.

"Drooling?" she said not believing me. I nodded.

"Do you trust me?" I held my hand out palm up to her. She looked at me with a smile forming at the corner of her face.

"What?" she asked as if she didn't hear me.

"Do you trust me?" I asked again extending my arm closer, she could easily reach me from here.

"Yes…" she said smiling and grabbing my hand. I gently pulled her around my shoulder and back. She wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my torso. She nestled her face in to the left side of my shoulder and neck, it felt amazing. I reached up to the bark and got my grip pulling up to a branch I tested the branch with our weight on it I bent my body then launched higher in to the air doing a flip grabbing another branch then the trunk and pulling up. She gasped, I'd forgot she probably wasn't comfortable doing flips. I forced my fingers deep in to the trunk as I climbed and broke a branch in my hand finding out it wasn't sturdy. I climbed up higher and latched on to a branch swinging myself higher to a higher branch before climbing up the next trunk to the highest branch on the tree. I softly put her down on the branch not letting go of her for fear of her falling.

"It's beautiful…" She said staring in to the horizon as the sun began to creep up in to view. I could hear her breath slip out of her at the view. _Yes, you're right… breath taking. _I thought to myself. Her balance wasn't as good as mine, she wasn't shaky, but uncertain. I grabbed her arm to steady her.

"I can show you this world… more of it, I've seen so many things that normal people will never see." I said with my arm wrapped around hers for balance. She hugged my arm. I turned and looked her in the eye she returned my look with the intensity.

"Wynea, when is the last time you really listened to your heart." I said without thinking about what I was saying. It slipped out. I didn't expect an answer, I didn't want to ask the question it just happened. I looked at her and she was speechless.

"I'm sorry I wasn't thinking… I just"

"I always took you for the type of guy who enjoyed beauty but never knew when to shut up." She answered me interrupting. I didn't say a word and just watched the sunrise with her. Soon I had realized my attention had turned from the horizon to her. I tried to imagine the right words but they didn't come to me. I just stopped and stared at her. After a while she noticed me watching her and turned and faced me. Her beautiful features looked puzzled. She looked confused for a moment.

"I never understood how anyone could over think everything and never know when to shut up at the same time." She said looking at me with an amused look on her face. I laughed softly in response _how true._ I thought to myself. I was always over things but also guilty of not knowing when to shut up.

"See right now you're over thinking but not too long ago you couldn't shut up." She said with a smile giving me a soft shove. I caught my arm on the trunk of the tree before I could lose my balance or hers for that matter.

"You were naked today when we were swimming, weren't you?" She asked smiling watching the horizon.

"What? No… I wasn't I was a just nervous." She laughed next to me and turned her eyes to mine. Her eyes pierced me cut straight through the bull shit.

"No, you weren't wearing them, you were too nervous, you wouldn't let me get anywhere near you, and it's the only reason that makes sense for you to become a werewolf in the water, besides… I didn't find any fabric in the water where you changed." I was dumb founded. _Damn she's good, I can't sneak much of anything by her. She is truly amazing._

"Yes… you're right." I said finally conceding.

"Tell me, do you believe in God?" she asked releasing herself from my grip and taking two more steps away from me on the branch. I was very wary of how she stood. Her balance was impeccable. I thought for a moment before answering.

"I'd like to believe in God." I said watching her every movement in case she lost her balance.

"So you'd _like_ to believe. That's interesting… so you don't… You want to believe but you struggle with believing it, aren't I right?" I nodded being sure not to move my body either left or right to shake her balance.

"I believe… I need to, otherwise a couple years ago I would have been robbed at least, raped or murdered at worst." She said without quivering.

"And more than that a vampire comes back and you happen by. You weren't planning on that you happened to find me, you happened to be there, you happened to be a Werewolf."

"Coincidence." I answered for lack of a better word. I failed at finding a better answer to why.

"I, like God, do not play with dice and I don't believe in coincidences." She said confidently. She smiled before continuing.

"I can stand here, without complete control cause I believe in you. Sometimes you need to take leaps of faith, hoping that it will be rewarded." She said. The color drained from my face.

"D, please please don't jump off." She chuckled quietly.

"I told you leaps of faith, not suicide attempts, but regardless I stand here today because of you, and if I slipped right know I have faith that you'd catch me before I fell." I nodded in response, I'd jump right after her without a second thought.

"You need to take risks in life, otherwise you'll never achieve anything. You know this yourself, You're the one who pursued a girl he'd never met before and only knew by named and messages online." I shrugged.

"I knew much more than that about you. You came back for me after I was shot protecting you, you dug the first two bullets out of me, and you didn't leave me until Vampires came to push you away." Her eyes widened…

"That big guy, when I saved you, the one who scared me off. That was Emmett wasn't it?" I nodded taking a step forward.

"Yes, him and my other brother Edward." I answered as I decided to sit down on the branch. D followed my lead.

"So if you don't believe in God… Why are you who you are?"

"I never said I don't believe in God, I just find it hard to, but I want to." I said looking at her as I swung my leg lazily.

"You've managed to dodge my question, what makes you who you are." I sighed before answered her question.

"I've always believed that Karma is too self serving. If you told everyone the better you did, beyond a shadow of a doubt the better things will be for you, there wouldn't be a single person doing bad in this world. I believe that it's right to do what is good… because really can't we make the argument everything is self serving? Everything is selfish?" She gave me a funny look that said 'how are you going to explain that?' I smiled.

"Here's how I see it… Everything can be considered selfish because all we do is for our own interest. Let's say you go serve food at a soup kitchen. Why do you do this? To make you feel less guilty? It's nice to help someone but it feels good to help someone as well so that's selfish. Help a friend with homework? Maybe they'll help you in the future. Maybe more simply it feels good. You help an elderly person shovel their walkway, because it's the right thing to do, because people look on you and say 'that kid knows what's good' because of approval of people… because it makes you feel good. So really Everyone is selfish… some people just don't know it."

"That's kind of a negative look at life."

"Maybe it's just in a clear perspective." I responded putting my hands behind my head.

"So what was your motive that night, when you saved me… Tell me how selfish you were that night."

"I wanted to do it because it felt right, it made me feel good, it's simple selfishness."

"So you believe in fate but don't believe in God?" She questioned me. _Truly she is smart. She can read me better than Edward can ._I thought to myself.

"Is that so hard to believe if that was what I believed?" I asked. She shrugged her shoulders noncommittally.

"Sure, it's completely normal to believe there is a plan and everything has already been decided, that everything we do could be foreseen. That every choice we make, every argument, everything has been predetermined, yet you can't believe that a being put it in to motion?"

"Touché." I responded.

"Here's what I don't get, you knew I had a boyfriend, you knew we were together but you still jumped in the way you hid everything from me and risked your life and if you died I would have never known it was you, why'd you do that?"

"Well simple, I love you. It's really just selfish because…" I faded off realizing what I had said quickly before I knew it came out of my mouth. D was staring at me. She stumbled as she began to stand up and slipped off the branch. I jumped immediately catching her arm but I was also jumping off the branch. I reached for the branch I jumped from but my finger missed it by inches. I pressed my feet against the trunk of the tree behind me and pushed off as we fell. We were gaining momentum fast I started catching branches with my arm, my body, anything to slow down our fall. I pulled her in and she wrapped her arms around me. I was slowing down our fall with each branch I got a hold of even if it was only for fourth of a second. I caught one last sturdy branch but I felt a large pop in my shoulder as I landed. I rolled up to my feet.

"D are you okay?" I asked setting her down softly.

"Yeah I'm fine. Holy shit what happened to your shoulder." I shook my head.

"It's nothing don't worry about it." she gave me one of those 'are you really going to try and pull that shit with me' look which under a different circumstance would be entertaining.

"Come on my mom's been a nurse for years we'll have her look at it." She wasn't asking she was telling me. As we headed in Emmett and Rosalie stopped us.

"Wait I can pop that back in." I stopped Rosalie.

"Yeah come with us, D wants to make sure we do it right." She was displeased that D didn't think she knew what she was doing but followed silently as I did my best not to make any noise or complain about my shoulder being popped out of socket. We made it to the house and Mrs. Steramin pointed to a place on my dislocated shoulder. Rosalie made it look like she pushed hard to apply pressure but it was simple and rather painfully back in its socket. I clenched my teeth to avoid the yell I wanted to release but didn't. One good thing did come from all of this. D was now rubbing my shoulder, and thought words I'd said before so many times _'hurts so good' _I laughed to myself.

**D POV**

Embry and his family had gone back to the forest. But I still wanted to see him. I went back out even though it was nightfall. I approached and saw two wolves fighting. One was Embry but the other one I'd never seen. He was nearly as big as Embry. Unlike Embry he was a deep brown color. Russet if I had to place it. They had locked teeth and were both on their back legs pushing against each other. The other one climbed over him and swung but Embry rolled out of the way causing the brown wolf to stumble slightly. Embry managed to get his head under the torso of the other wolf rolling him over and putting his teeth to the other wolf's throat. He jumped off and ran to the trees before coming back in a human form with pants, the other wolf did the same. I recognized him as Jacob. _Wow Jacob is a werewolf too._ I saw a small girl emerge from the trees and nearly tackled Embry with a hug. He had to brace himself to stay on his feet. Then she moved over to Jasper. It looked like they were having their own type of moment. I turned back to Embry.

"I have a bed made for you, and one for your brother Jacob." I said proud that I remembered his name from weeks before. I turned over to the rest of the much paler and normal sized people.

"Umm you said you don't sleep right?" They nodded. I led Jacob and Embry back to the house and heard soft whispering behind me.

Embry POV

"So this is the girl huh?" Jacob asked quietly.

"Yeah she is, you met her already I hear." He nodded quietly. D looked back at us and I tried to act like we weren't talking.

"It's like she's Edward, she can read me better than he can."

"You've fallen for her haven't you." I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah whatever."

"You had those puppy eyes for Leah too, pardon the pun." I pushed him away

"Shut up you"

"Hey no fighting back there." D called as we reached the house. We entered the house and headed to a room.

"Jacob this room is for you, please make yourself comfortable." She left the room with me and kept walking to the next room with a bed.

"Here Embry this is your room." I walked over to the bed and climbed in it. She was about to leave but turned around at the door looking over her right shoulder.

"Hey Embry… Thanks for saving my life today. It is a big deal that you jumped from a fifty foot drop to save me."

"It's not completely your fault… I distracted you…" I quickly regretted saying knowing what I said. Before she could say something I did.

"D, can you just give me a hug?" she smiled immediately knowing what I meant. She walked over and climbed on the bed wrapping her arms around me. I pulled out the covers and covered her in them and drifted off in to a comfortable sleep.

**Wow that chapter was full of music, movie quotes and philosophy. That's crazy… Interesting but crazy… Thanks my reviewers, my hard core reviewers who are still with me. Without reviewers I wouldn't have the inspiration to keep writing, much less do this much of it. Reviews, knucks, high fives, and rolls of twenty dollar bills, (don't forget any ideas are welcome I've used reviewers ideas in this story already)**


	12. Basket Case

**Disclaimer: I'd like to say Stephenie Meyer owns the characters, but I own the story… really that's not true… since it's involved with her universe she owns it. Please support this officialish release?**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Having said that, all ideas are my own, and while they are inspired by events and stories I've read or experienced they've been molded in to my story… nothing is truly original, just bits and pieces of other things… depressing ain't it?**

"**Winter booty call"**

"**she'll say are you married he's say no maham. But you can do the job while you're around"**

**Leah: Are you married?  
Embry: No maham, you can do the Job while you're around  
Leah: what do you think I am? Some slutty booty call?!? *backhands Embry***

**(seriously? A guy looking to score in a popular Christmas song?)**

**Embry's POV**

I woke up trying to remember where I was, I was too comfortable I was in a bed. I heard a soft coo by my side immediately causing my body to tense. _Wait what!_ I thought I opened my eyes immediately and calmed down. She went through the same reaction I did but huddled closer to me. She got up. I didn't know what to make of this I knew I needed her but I wouldn't push her any further then she wanted to go. I didn't move, neither did she probably hoping nothing changed from this, just holding on tightly while everything was okay. _She's my everything just before everything goes wrong._ I thought and though it might be true, for now she was everything. _Living in the moment, not worried about the pain it might bring later._ Stupid by all means, waiting for the eventual pain, but I couldn't stop it I couldn't push her away. In fact knowing this forced me to pull her closer, holding on tighter, enjoying every second have together, every moment of the dream that may end at any moment. The way her fingers clutched me I knew she had the same feelings. I quietly breathed in the smell of her hair, her arms were tight around my midsection and I didn't mind at all. She yawned.

"Embry, you're warm." She said softly running her cheek up and down my chest. I restrained myself from hugging her tighter. Neither of us said anything for a while not wanting to disturb the rest that we had. I was so comfortable. As we lay there I wondered what her lips would taste like. I looked at them, they were beautiful. I examined the soft lines of her lips then looked up slightly realizing she was looking in to my eyes. I matched hers, looking in to her beautiful captivating green eyes. They had a powerful youth and vigor to them as they danced looking back at my eyes.

"You're brown eyes are so strong." She said looking back in to mine. The distance between our noses was less than a foot, we get much closer and I wouldn't be able to hold back the urge to kiss her. A single renegade hair slide in front of her eyes and I immediately moved my hand to move it softly. She shuddered and smiled leaning closer. Rational arguments tried to register in my head but each was dismissed by the fact that I needed her, I wanted her too much and I couldn't keep resisting her. I closed my eyes softly moving my face closer.

I heard a loud knock at the door bringing us back to the world. In a moment I we both realized she didn't want to get caught in the room with me. She got out of the bed quickly and jumped in the closet shutting it.

"Come in." I said sitting up in the bed. Jacob stepped looking at me for a moment.

"Hey, breakfast is ready, I'm also supposed to ask if you know where D is, she wasn't in her room." He stopped for a moment taking a couple sniffs with his nose, then one closer to the bed with a mischievous smile.

"You dog!" he laughed at me.

"Pardon the pun?" I asked.

"Nope, I meant that." He said smiling.

"She's here right now." He said looking across the room. He turned his attention to the closet. He walked to it taking a deep breath before flinging the doors open. D stood there meekly.

"Well hi there D, what were you doing in the closet?" he said with a huge grin on his face. I pulled him away, turning back to D whose face was three shades of red.

"I just came in to say good morning." She said trying to cover her tracks. He smiled shaking his head.

"No… You slept here last night, I can smell your scent too strong compared to Embry's, plus your smell is all over Embry." He said still laughing. I turned back to him.

"You're lucky we're inside a house or I'd tackle you right now." I responded narrowing my eyes at him and he laughed.

"Be glad the they don't have as good of a sense of smell as we do, but the Cullen's will know for sure." D stood next to me just realizing that we had an unnatural sense of smell.

"Hey, we shouldn't be calling them the Cullen's, her brother did research on us, we need to keep a low profile." He said pointing at D.

"Smith as an alias?" I asked and Jacob laughed as a response. _Yeah that'll work._ D led us both down to breakfast even though our nose would lead us down there. I threw on a shirt so it wouldn't make D's family uncomfortable and headed down to the kitchen. There was a large breakfast made but not nearly enough to feed Jacob and I. D eyed me looking at the food then turned around.

"I'm going to make some more breakfast." D said standing up at the stove.

"This is plenty dear." Her mother said looking at her.

"Oh, I know Embry and Jacob eat tons more food, I mean they're both huge." D said pulling out the cookware again and starting to cook.

"D! that's not very polite." Her mom said chastising her.

"Don't worry Mrs. Steramin. We get much worse, but your daughter is right." I said politely.

"I told you not to call me that Embry." She said chiding me.

"Sorry Mrs. Steramin." I said slightly embarrassed D's father Mitch started laughing. D walked past me running her hand by my back. I smiled slightly looking back at her then back at the table, her mother didn't notice, but her father's eyes were completely focused on me. My eyes returned to his, knowing full well he could read what was going on. The look in his eyes wasn't angry or judging, but something more like assessing. D sat down next to me realizing that her father was staring at me. She leaned in to me and whispered in to my ear.

"What's going on." Her warm breath on my ear made it tingle. I turned back to her.

"He can read me like you can… he knows something is definitely up." Jacob was covering for me.

"So, Mr. Steramin, what job do you have?" Jacob asked politely.

"Well I'm retired." Jacob smiled not knowing exactly how he, looking in his mid forties could be retired.

"Oh, you're not retired dear, don't tell him that, you do plenty." D's mother said with a polite hit on Mr. Steramin's arm. He laughed softly before looking in to his wife's eyes.

"I'm retired compared to what I did before." Mitch said looking his wife in the eye placing his hand on hers on his arm. D looked embarrassed with me sitting there as his parents started kissing, and the kissing became more passionate. D coughed theatrically and they pulled away from each other slowly. I tried not to laugh but it was hard with how badly D was blushing. Jacob decided to save D from her demoralization.

"What are you retired from?" He said not knowing.

"Military work" He said not continuing. I knew he wouldn't brag about his placement or skills.

" Oh really? What did you do?" Jacob asked still curious. I could read that he didn't want to brag but answered the question anyway.

"I was a Navy Seal." He answered letting a slight amount of pride slip in to his voice.

"Wow that must have been quite an honor." Jacob said wiping his face politely of the maple syrup that was left over on his face. Mitch wore a smirk on his face looking down at the hand of his wife on his arm.

"It was more of an honor to know that I helped protect my future family, and I met my wife there." _Wow, that's something special._ _I know it embarrasses D but I'm jealous she has parents like this… I never had this._ _Will I even have this?_ I looked at D admiring her._ I hope so._ Even looking at her now I could see beauty in nearly everything about her. Her brilliant green eyes, the way she smiled now that she found I was watching her, even the way her breath moved through her body. It was like everything in front of me but a finger nail away, just out of reach.

Her father stood up and grabbed dishes. I stood up and picked up my dishes before D could tell me to stop, she pouted at me and gave me a disapproving look as I picked up her dishes as well. She stood up and looked me in the eye not backing down even though I was nearly a foot taller than her. A scene that caused Jacob to laugh.

"Your daughter sure has some spunk." He said to D's parents. Mitch turned around and beamed with pride.

"She, she needs it to survive with three brothers." I smiled looking her in the eye.

"So I'm going to help with dishes, and you can't stop me." I said turning around and walking dishing in my hand over to the sink. She gave me a look that stopped me instantly. It was a look that said _"do you really want to fight me over this? Is it worth it?"_ I quickly decided it wasn't and walked away from the table. Mitch turned around when he noticed that D was the one handing him dishes and not me.

"Oh, she gave you 'the look' didn't she?" I nodded as he laughed quietly.

"Yeah, she got that from her mom, believe me… I know." I laughed in response.

"D Dear we can do the dishes, you should entertain your guests." D led Jacob and myself outside. I noticed a barn we were walking to.

"I know you like to play Guitar, and Jasper does, do you want to get him? I was thinking we could play some music. Jasper came out of the forest at a human pace followed by Rosalie and Emmett.

"This should be interesting." Emmett said following behind to the barn.

The barn actually had a nice stage area. The ground was carpeted looked like it was put in recently. D had brought her guitar with her.

"You once told me you're a drummer, you think you can keep up with "basket case" by Green Day?" she asked not looking at me, Jasper laughed silently to me. _Yeah, I can do that._ Emmett walked to the bass guitar picking it up.

"I know the bass part… or I can fake it." Emmett said strapping on the bass. Jasper smiled.

"I'll sing it if you wish." D nodded.

"Or you can sing and I'll just watch." She shook her head.

"Oh no, I don't sing in front of crowds nearly ever… and never when I'm sober." Jasper laughed plugging in the microphone. I grabbed a pair of drum sticks and flipped them in the air catching them and spinning them forward in my fingers. I sat down and she started strumming Jasper grabbed the mic.

"Do you have the time  
to listen to me whine  
About nothing and everything  
all at once  
I am one of those  
Melodramatic fools  
Neurotic to the bone  
No doubt about it" I smiled at Emmett. _D might be surprised that I'm a pretty decent drummer._

"Sometimes I give myself the creeps  
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me  
It all keeps adding up.  
I think I'm cracking up." Jasper sings but D stops strumming to turn around and stare at me as I play the drum fill. Her jaw was dropped and staring at me. She regained her composure shooting me an evil look "as I returned it with a grin.  
Am I just paranoid?  
Or I'm just stoned

I went to a shrink  
To analyze my dreams  
She says it's lack of sex" D managed to come back in to the song with the guitar.  
"that's bringing me down  
I went to a whore  
He said my life's a bore  
So quit my whining cause  
it's bringing her down

Sometimes I give myself the creeps  
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me  
It all keeps adding up  
I think I'm cracking up  
Am I just paranoid?  
Uh, yuh, yuh, ya

Grasping to control  
So I better hold on

Sometimes I give myself the creeps  
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me  
It all keeps adding up  
I think I'm cracking up  
Am I just paranoid?  
Or I'm just stoned" She fixed me with a very fake angry look. I tried to stop grinning but I couldn't.

"Yeah right, 'I'm not a bad drummer' my ass!" she said looking at me. I burst out laughing.

"I'm not that great, there are plenty of people better than me, my friend Mike Iverson is much better than me." She took off her guitar.

"That's bull shit, you're a great drummer, don't give me that line." I shrugged and she stepped outside. Jasper was at my side quickly.

"You slept with her, I can smell her on you." _He would be able to._ I thought to myself. D came back in.

"Hey lets go for a run."

His POV

This was unfortunate. He had gotten more to join his cause. This just made the gem that was the girl all the more mouth watering. We were outnumbered. I suppose in the end everyone was expendable… at least I was to a certain degree. _Some of me was_. It was rather inopportune that I couldn't finish them when I showed my abilities. It was disadvantageous for anyone to know about it. my Coven didn't know about it. Yes, these kind of hunts were truly what a adventurer like me lived for. She wasn't my first victim, and she wouldn't be my last. I had lost covens before to the hunt. I would regret losing mine again… the man and woman made such a cute couple. I for one held no mate, I simply lived for the great theatrics of life and death. I found my love in irony, for instance, how this beast of a man is held down by a fragile woman, such is the tale of life. Even the Greek god Hercules fell for someone so weak to fall and sustain damage. It was the poetry of life, something I found so intriguing.

"Are the preparations ready?" Cadence said interrupting the smooth flow of my thoughts.

"Yes." I answered. Cadence and her mate Max had become useful to me, I never hunted with them but traveled with them. The last was Cyril, she wished to be my mate, but I couldn't be tied down, I couldn't love but one person, I found her attractive but nothing more. This woman with Embry I found attractive to. _Now that would be a catch worth pursuing, but alas I've already made that impossible._

"When are we attacking?" Max said, he wasn't the type to use too many words. It was a pity. He didn't understand the fun he was missing. I sighed heavily at his lack of theatrics.

"Midnight, it's poetic, it must be then." I licked my lips in anticipation, this hunt had become more than I ever expected. It was the best gift Embry could have given me. Now it was just a matter of time until my feast.

**Well Finals week this week, thought I'd write this anyway, I probably won't update till after finals are over but you know. Okay about winter wonder land… apparently the snow man is dressed up as "parson brown" who is a priest? And the snowman would marry them… I don't know sounds pretty thin to me… well anyway I hope you like the chapter and review remember, high fives, rolls of twenty dollar bills, questions, comments, concerns… next chapter… Xavier strikes.**


	13. The River Crossing

**Disclaimer: If I was Stephenie Meyer I wouldn't be dealing with these extortionists known as colleges.**

**Disclaimer Deuce: before reading this look up "Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn The river crossing" and you'll see a video, 3:11 seconds long… it has a quote in there from this chapter… the Character Ranulf is a blue Cat Laguz (Shapeshifter) his attitude, the way he stalks his prey… that's how Xavier is… and that's why I put it in the story, if you watch it you'll see the quote in my story.**

Alice's POV

In an instant I saw the whole plan come together. They were going to attack tonight, spread out so we couldn't take them down in groups, and Xavier would come especially for Embry and D, knowing full well he wouldn't let her out of his sight. I was glad he didn't know about my ability we would have time to prepare for him. I turned to Jasper who sat with an acoustic guitar gently strumming.

"It's time, we're going to finish this tonight."

Xavier's POV

It's almost time for our finale. The final act of the tragedy. I am so repelled by his smell, and I would bet money he is repelled by my smell as well. Yet killing him will be the sweetest tasting victory I can think of. We had circled them, they took up the first half, I alone took up the second half of the circle. I split myself in to three parts waiting for the eventual fight. I looked at my other self and smiled.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow." I said to him before he smiled and was gone in an instant. I disappeared in to the forest patiently awaiting the opening of my scene. I smelt a fire, in fact my other selves smelt fires too. It was time.

I ran to an open clearing and was surprised to see Embry standing in front of a fire next to his precious. They were waiting for me.

D's POV

He appeared with a stunned look before covering it up and running his fingers through his Jet black thin hair. His skin was a darker, but at the same time pale color, he thin, but still well muscled. He looked like a vampire to me but his hair looked so different, so human. His eyes burned bright red as he eyed me licking his lips. His black hair was cut short and spiky but not spiked. He slowly paced back and forth eyes never leaving mine before licking his lips. His body was relaxed. He was attractive, definitely, but the fear shuddering down my spine suppressed any emotion of warm I could have ever mustered.

Embry's POV

"Well well sorry for dropping in unannounced." He said smiling with a slight smirk and darkness to his voice.

"We thought it best to hunt the strongest prey first." He said as he started to circle Embry.

"Of course. Interesting maneuver." I said slowly taking off my shirt.

"Will you draw your blade?" he said as if he was the wolf and I was a deer.

"I trust you know who I am, Embry Call, Alpha male, protector of La Push. If you're not worthy, you're just wasting my time." I said with a smile trying to delay him.

"I am Xavier, Vampire multiplying extraordinaire, will that suffice?" He said pacing back and for smiling.

"We shall see… At your ready." I said getting ready to fight be he didn't seem ready to fight yet.

"You seem to be quite the warrior, but what is your Achilles heel? I believe it's obvious, it's to cliqued. It's this girl." He sighed clenching his fists.

"Unoriginal Embry! Come on! You could do better than her anyway. Why would you want to be weakened by her?" He said impatiently.

"Caring doesn't make me weak." I said not moving an inch hoping if I could keep him talking long enough the Cullens would join us.

"It gives you a weakness, it'd be so much more fun to find it in battle but it's painstakingly obvious, all I need to do is lunge at her while I'm fighting you and I've already won, that's just not fun. You're making this too easy Embry! I want a challenge you're supposed to be my best hunt." I sighed rolling his eyes. He was back to his theatrics.

"Oh yes, I'm waiting but not because your friends will come here to help… but I'll let you in on a little secret." He said as if to usher me closer to him.

"For every one of me they kill, I become stronger, you see, I can only multiple a limited number of times, that's why I didn't just outnumber and slaughter you. I know, I shouldn't tell you this but I figure since I know your weakness you should know mine, it wouldn't be fun if I just dominated as your superior. So don't you see. The focus and strength used to control three of me is sufficient to slow me down slightly." He stopped and looked like Alice for a moment somewhere else.

"What? You brought even more of you? Now that won't do, that's hardly fair Embry… hardly fair!" he said pouting but at the same time he didn't seem too angry.

"That does accelerate my plan slightly." His eyes turned to the fire and then back to me with a smile.

"Ah, is that fire for me? You shouldn't have." He looked down at his bare arm as if checking his watch.

"Oh look at the time, it's time for us to begin, your friends just finished off the last of my multiplices making me far stronger." I turned to my face to D.

"Please… close your eyes." I say trying to get her to shut her eyes so I can at least take off my pants. She does and I pull them off and phase calming my body down and watching Xavier's movements calmly.

"Oh please don't be so calm, I set this all up to fight a beast, that's what I want to fight." A low growl escaped my throat.

"Oh, that's much better, if you play nice I'll throw you a bone." His eyes moved from me to D.

"But I think you want to use your bone on someone else." He said smiling evilly at D who overheard what was said. My body coiled and then sprung leaping at him he dodged with some effort at the last second. He laughed to himself.

"I had forgotten how fast you were." He said fixing his shirt. It was the wolves weakness against vampires; acceleration. Vampire's could go from stopped to stop speed in about a second while it took us five or more seconds, their movement was effortless, but our muscles were natural and needed to start moving. It was our biggest weakness. I lunged jumping again and he narrowly dodged catching my right paw. I pulled my body to my paw to trying to bite his arm but he let go laughing as I got up to my feet.

"Feisty aren't we?" he said with a laugh. I let out a feral snarl. Getting back to my feet and resuming my position in front of D. He licked his lips sensually.

"She will be a delicious meal… maybe a better mate… yes. She will be my mate… my trophy from our battle." My body was flaring in anger but I forced myself to calm down, if I fought him in anger her could definitely get the better of me. I growled He saw the anger and read my mind.

"Oh I know she won't want me at first, but she'll warm up to me… Once again the hunt will be worth all the while. I wonder what her lips taste like… I suppose I'll take a nice taste of her lips before I turn her… They look so luscious… so appealing." He made a sound as if taking in her scent.

"mmMmm good." He said. I roared as load as I could making him to take a step back.

"Magnificent, that's the beast I came to fight!" I forced myself to look tense but stay relaxed. I curled my body. _He makes too much of a show of narrowly avoiding me, I know it and he'll move at the last second, all I need to do stay straight and move at the last second. _I let pure hate flow in to my body and especially my eyes. He wouldn't take her from me… she might not be mine but he won't have her… _I'll literally kill him first._ I thought charging at him. I pressed my body and he theatrically stood in place, as still as a matador to a bull rush. _I'm no bull._ I moved faked left slightly. He bought it at the last second moving to the right and I roared jumping back at him. I wrapped my mouth around his midsection and bit as hard as I had ever feeling my teeth against each other. I ripped away pulling his left leg along with a large part of his stomach. I rammed my head back in to him knocking him to the ground before running over and throwing his left leg in to the fire. He stared in shock and fear. That was something I'd never seen in his eyes, real fear. I returned my mouth open my with the remains of his left leg lingering in my teeth. He was now the prey, and I was the hunter. I slowly stalked him taking in the fear in his eyes before lunging at him, he tried to dodge but wasn't quick enough as I caught his right shoulder ripping off the entire shoulder blade with my strong bite. I pulled it off his body and like his leg threw it in to the fire. I watched him. He would have done this. My eyes hungered for revenge. I charged him and bit down in to the middle of his torso and ran his body in to a tree then whipped his head against a tree before releasing him leaving huge holes going clear through his body. He stared with his mouth agape disbelieving at me.

"You're really all the monster you say you are, you can't give me a clean death." I roar jumping over him biting his head off literally. I ran back and spat his head in to the fire watching it burn his body came at me angrily as it could being beheaded and missing two other appendages. The fist took a swing at me and I caught it in my mouth tossing his elbow and down in to the fire. I lunged at him ripping his leg off and throwing it in to the fire worried about leaving too large of a piece of him in the fire. Lastly I make new holes in what's left of his torso and throw it in to the fire.

_It's over… He's gone. He'll never bug us again._ I turn back to D staring her right in the eye. I try to relax, but can't force myself to, there is no way to really look relaxed. She approached, slowly yet confidently. I didn't dare move the slightest, as if the slightly movement could scare her off. She raised her hand as she closed the distance. She now could reach me. She ran her hand right above my eye and through my hair down the side of my neck, I growled appreciatively and pushed her hand in to me more. She smiled softly. Then she wrapped her arms around my neck barely connecting them before putting her head against mine.

"Thank you, thank you so much Embry." She said hugging tighter around my neck. I grinned wolfily back at her. She continued rubbing my shoulders then I used my head to throw her on to my shoulders. She held on tightly with a laugh. Out of the forest in front of us appeared some vampires and another large wolf. If possible it seemed like he howled playfully. I smiled at them unable to look sad right now.

"We did it, they're all dead, they'll never bug us again." Jasper said with a smile, he noticed my passenger and smirked. Rosalie didn't share his expression; she had a very evil look in her eye staring at D who was currently riding between my shoulder blades. Emmett calmed her down and led her away.

"We'll stay the night, no point in leaving so fast." Alice said with a smile I nodded in my wolf form. I turned before Rosalie could rein in her anger and let us have it. I sprinted in to the forest with a jubilant D on my back. She nestled her face in to my neck and I restrained myself from growling in appreciating. It felt too good to be true. I slowed down to a comfortable jog taking in the scenery I didn't want to scare her either. After a while I came to a stop and she slid herself down my body and came back to my front softly petting my nose.

"You know for a big scary wolf, you're really a push over you know that right?" I smile and push softly against her hand which slides up above my eyes. I turned and ran in to the woods to find my sweat pants I had left by the fire. I phased back and pulled them back on returning to her with my pants on in my human form. I adjusted my neck and shoulders walking out. D was wearing a huge smile and flung herself at me I took one step back to support the weight she put on my upper body. She hugged me tightly and I returned it. She was so relaxed. She felt safe… _Yes she was finally safe._ Her face was only inches from mine now, I was inhaling her scent and becoming intoxicated. In this moment there was nothing else. Our noses bumped and whipped us back to reality. She climbed down.

"We should put on a concert or something, yeah that's what we'll do!" D said running in to the house. I followed after her slightly disappointed that our moment didn't build to anything more but I promised myself I wouldn't force something to happen. I breathed out. I waited outside as if waiting for permission to come follow her. She returned bouncy and smiley.

"Our whole family is coming, we're going to put on a concert tomorrow night, I hope your family is musical, because I'm the only one in my family the really plays music." I smiled as she ran inside. _Put on a concert huh? I'll see what I can throw together._

**Next chapter is "The Concert" it will be extremely musical so I'm sorry in advance but believe it or not it will further the characters of D and Embry and their connection so I'm not actually sorry :-p As always your reviews press me to keep writing, and give me ideas, so thank you for them. I'd like to thank Siri, Kei Kat, and Fatally, for their thought provoking reviews giving me ideas for more chapters (even though I never run out of ideas) thank you very much. For the record Ranulf from the youtube video is a good guy, and a badass. Rolls of twenty dollar bills, high fives, knucks, comments, reviews, ideas. I'm out.**


	14. The Concert

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer… damn… well shit that ain't me… **

**Disclaimer Deuce: I'm sorry I didn't write this as fast as I was planning on… It grew a bit more than I was planning. I've also been thinking a lot since this is the first Christmas without my uncle.**

Embry's POV:

This morning I had woken up in her arms again, it was so comfortable, it was so right, But now I was helping set up the stage in the barn for the show we'd put on later tonight. Two guitars set up, one bass, one microphone and one drum set. I still wondered who was going to be singing… With the Cullens around I knew I sure as hell wasn't singing they could definitely out sing me. I won't sing with them here, cause if they're singing their going to show me up so easily. I looked up at her wondering what she was thinking she smiled slightly at me as she did a guitar check. _What are you thinking D?_

D's POV:

So much has happened in the last days. I didn't know how to take it all and it's been everything I could do to resist Embry as he was resisting me. When it was finally over with Xavier it took everything I had not throw myself at Embry that second. I wanted to feel his body on mine. Run my hands through his strong dark hair. I wanted him so much it ached. _Don't kid yourself those thoughts aren't all innocent._ I had to admit, those morning I woke up wishing we'd done more than just held each other. Every morning I remembered why I fell in love with him in the first place. I tuned the guitar watching him, the way he looked in to my eyes. I wanted to jump him right now, tackle him and have my way with him take control of him and show him how much I need him. _That sounds too good to be true._ _I wonder what that perfectly toned chest would feel like, or his hands… or the rest of him on my naked body. Focus, you just untuned the string._ I focused retuning it hoping he didn't notice it. He smiled slightly. _Damn he's hot._

"Thanks for helping me set up" I said putting down the guitar. The only real reason I didn't jump him and have my way with him before was I needed to know if it was more real than the crush. It was…

"It was fun." He said closing the distance between us. The warmth radiated off his body, I wanted to be closer be warm in his arms. I stopped short making sure I didn't unwittingly walk in to his arms. He wore a knowing smile. _Curse you and your amazing scent pulling me in._

Embry's POV

We were going to start playing soon. Her brothers were just filtering in now. Her youngest brother Sam gave me a smile that made me decidedly uncomfortable. It was a knowing look. For some reason I had this strange feeling he knew how much I wanted to have sex with his sister, and more disturbing than that is he didn't seem at all bothered. As D had told me Sam got all the charm of the family. I smiled, yeah I could see that as he was introducing his date to his parents. _I already can tell he's smooth._ It didn't bug me especially since D had decided to wrap her arms around my waist. Right now nothing could bug me._ Nix that last though. _I said mentally seeing a male walk in the door and shot daggers at me with his glares. He crossed the room quickly. His hair was shoulder length and Jet black and the way he was looking where D's arms were he was obviously a brother of hers. He sneered when he got closer. D smiled regardless.

"Nick, this is Embry, Embry, Nick." I extended my hand that wasn't around D to shake his hand. I figured it was at least worth a try to be civil.

"This is the freak that's been causing all the problems?"The remark tipped me but I wouldn't let it affect me. I remained smiling even though I didn't want to.

"Nick! You will not talk to Embry like that." D said very defensively. She loosened one arm so she could lean in to Nicks face to call him out. A smirk crept across my face and Nick saw it. He took a swing at me and I leaned back narrowly avoiding the strike, he swung again and I caught his fist with my left hand which wasn't around D. Nick pulled his leg back to kick and in an instant I'd pulled D behind me and was standing in front of her defensively before I'd known what happened. He straightened up when he saw my protective stance.

"Wait till Dad hears about him, he'll flip." He said as a threat to D. She just smiled and pulled herself closer to me. I saw her dad behind him laughing slightly.

"Hey son, I see you met Embry." He turned around and betrayal was clear on his face. Mitch simply was smiling. _Mitch, you are awesome._ I thought to myself.

"Aren't you mad at D? Maybe at least don't like him?" he said as if the idea of his dad liking one of D's boyfriends was completely impossible.

"No, I actually like Embry." He said with a big smile. I mirrored it as Nick stormed off angrily probably to go speak to his mother. Not too long after that another person slightly larger than Nick walked up and gave D a hug. She released her arm from me for a moment.

"Oh, are you Embry? So I guess you're worth all the trouble you are huh?" He asked with a smile of his face. I immediately liked him more than Nick. They asked the same question, but asked it in two completely different ways… it was ironic how different it was. Carter looked at the way D's head was on my shoulder. He mouthed something when she looked away, but I could understand it perfectly. _Take care of her_. It was unmistakable that those were his words. I nodded as she turned back and looked at us talking.

"Hey, everyone's here, let's start the music." D walked over to the stage and grabbed the microphone.

"Jasper!" she called to Jasper who was talking to Emmett on the other side of the barn.

"I think it's time we find out who's really the better guitarist!" Jasper made his way to my side first.

"I really don't think she wants me to beat her…" he said barely over a whisper. I smiled.

"Well you better not let her win." I whispered back. He smiled and made his way to the stage.

"Ladies first madam." He said graciously with a slight bow. She thought for a moment as Emmett made his way to the front of the room.

"Do you know Master of Puppets by Metallica?" she asked. He nodded.

"I've got a feel for it I can feel out the rest." He answered grabbing the bass guitar. I walked up to the stage and she gave me this weird look.

"And what do you think you're doing?" she said eyeing me.

"You need a drummer obviously." I said smirking at her.

"Can you keep up with this song." She asked and received a scoff.

"Oh ye of little faith… we will see." I said walking over to the drum set. She walked up to the microphone again.

"Well, now I need a singer, anyone courageous to do it." I turned around and walked back to the microphone.

"Jacob, Master of Puppets, come on you are singing." I called him out over the microphone. He shook his head. I smiled evilly.

"I'll tell Ness you were too afraid to sing, she'll love that." He clenched his fist making his way up to the stage.

"You extortionist." He said grabbing the mic from my hand. I laughed making it back to the drum set. We started playing the song D was ripping it up. She played it clean every note and I had to say I was definitely impressed. Jacob grabbed the microphone, focusing his inner James Hetfield.

"End of passion play, crumbling away  
I'm your source of self-destruction  
Veins that pump with fear, sucking darkest clear  
Leading on your deaths construction  
Taste me you will see  
More is all you need  
Dedicated to  
How I'm killing you

Come crawling faster  
Obey your Master  
Your life burns faster  
Obey your Master  
Master

Master of Puppets I'm pulling your strings" Jacob sings pushing his voice further. I tried to focus on drumming but more and more I was getting pulled in to listening to and watching D, she was amazing.  
"Twisting your mind, smashing your dreams  
Blinded by me, you can't see a thing  
Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream  
Master  
Master  
Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream  
Master  
Master" I had to focus on my drumming because it was a difficult song, but D was great, she played it perfectly. _Maybe this won't be as lopsided as I thought._

"Needlework the way, never you betray  
Life of death becoming clearer  
Pain monopoly, ritual misery  
Chop your breakfast on a mirror." With every lyric Jacob was throwing himself in to the song a bit more, and his voice was getting better and closer, D as I'd seen was flawless even though I knew I was copping some of the parts she wasn't.  
"Taste me you will see  
More is all you need  
Dedicated to  
How I'm killing you" I broke in to the fill from the song with the double bass drum beats hitting them clearer than I did last time through.

"Come crawling faster  
Obey your Master  
Your life burns faster  
Obey your Master  
Master

Master of Puppets I'm pulling your strings  
Twisting your mind, smashing your dreams  
Blinded by me, you can't see a thing  
Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream  
Master  
Master  
Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream  
Master  
Master" Jacob's voice slowly faded as he repeated Master a couple more times. D was sliding in to a comfortable guitar rift. I meant sliding, she looked so at ease playing. At this point she turned around and was grinning at me proudly as she played the slow solo perfectly. I had to try to look like I wasn't completely dumbfounded, in truth I'd never seen a girl play that good, or have this good of a style of music. _Bang her if you can._ My mind said before I could avert my attention. I almost missed the big drum fill part as it built back to the lyrics.

"Master, Master, where's the dreams that I've been after?" She stared me in the eye as I played the double pedal part with ease. She was staring me down. It was freakishly hot.  
"Master, Master, you promised only lies  
Laughter, laughter, all I hear or see is laughter  
Laughter, laughter, laughing at my cries  
Fix me!" she smiled breaking in to the solo staring at me for the ten seconds before turning back to the audience ripping the solo apart. I had to focus and make sure my jaw wasn't on the ground. She barely stumbled through a single note. I tried to keep my part under hers and Emmett did the same. The whole time he hadn't drawn attention to himself once. We broke back in to the main guitar rift.

"Hell is worth all that, natural habitat  
Just a rhyme without a reason  
Never ending maze, Drift on numbered days  
Now your life is out of season  
I will occupy  
I will help you die  
I will run through you  
Now I rule you too" she turned around and winked at me blowing me a kiss quickly before smiling and turning back to the crowd.

"Come crawling faster  
Obey your Master  
Your life burns faster  
Obey your Master  
Master

Master of Puppets I'm pulling your strings  
Twisting your mind, smashing your dreams  
Blinded by me, you can't see a thing  
Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream  
Master  
Master  
Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream  
Master  
Master" I followed her as she head banged playing guitar closing out the song, amazingly we ended together. The crowd erupted and D took a slight bow. Jasper didn't rush the stage, not because he was worried but he was being polite. I'd seen him play, he could definitely do better than that. Kirk Hammett was an amazing guitarist, but Jasper played music from Hammett's teacher, Joe Satriani. I had no doubt that his song would be a Satriani song, just no clue which one. D wore a cocky smirk as she passed the guitar to Jasper as she walked off.

"Top that." I heard her say quietly with an over exuberant amount of confidence. Jasper smiled gratefully no signs of pushing it in her face. He put the guitar on and turned back to me.

"Satch Boogie." He told me informing the song we'd be playing. I smiled and started playing the jazz beat on the drums as Jasper turned around.

D POV

Embry was playing a quick Jazz beat and the rest of the band seemed unaffected. He turned back to us with a smile and grabbed the microphone.

"Hello everyone, my name's Jasper… This song is called Satch Boogie, by Joe Satriani." He was grinning slightly. He was listening and then at one instant him and Emmett were in to the song rifting on a tune. He was playing so fast, his fingers moved effortlessly. More than that though I was watching Embry. His demeanor had changed he was enjoying himself playing quick fills. I had almost forgotten all about Jasper until I heard something I definitely couldn't play. He was even moving around slightly. My eyes were drawn to Embry as he drummed with one hand going above his head. At that moment he saw me watching and was grinning. With his hand in the air he pointed at Jasper who'd I'd forgotten this song was about. Immediately my jaw dropped. Both his hands were on the neck of the guitar playing something that was far out of my league. His fingers were moving unbelievably fast. I remembered why the name Satriani sounded familiar… He was the guitarist Embry said his brother was "In to" before. He quickly pulled out of the solo and finished up the song and smiled pointing back to Embry for a small drum fill solo.

The color faded from my face, he was so nice about this and yet I was throwing it in his face. He didn't want to compete but my competitive side won over. He walked over to me and handed me the guitar. He leaned closer to me. "House full of Bullets, Joe Satriani, it's in four four in the Key of F sharp" he said before motioning back to Emmett and Embry. Embry did a slow loud four count on the high hat and with the snare drum clap Emmett started dancing around playing the bass guitar to a hard riff. It was a funny sight. Jasper turned to me.

"It's a call and answer song, solo versus solo, here you can go first." He said stepping back and playing a similar chord progression as Emmett. I took a quick step forward and played a quick solo. Jasper took the lead after that realizing I was uncomfortable with it. He played a simple solo and I followed him. As he went his solos became slightly more difficult. He let me take lead again and followed conservatively. Eventually he sighed as Embry was glaring at him. I didn't know for sure but it looked like Embry was mad he was holding back. I was too… a little. He finally let go ripping in to a solo that made me jealous. His fingers moved rhythmically across the neck, flawless. We slowed down and finished the song together.

I took off my guitar and set it down, Jasper had won hands down.

"Jasper, take your victory song." I said. He didn't want to arguing that I could have won, he was too polite.

"Shut up and do it." I said angrily and he nodded softly. He turned back to the drum set.

"Hey Embry, I need a back up guitar for this song, you know it. 'If I could fly' by Joe Satriani." He wore a slight smile and stood up making his way to the acoustic guitar Jasper was holding out for him.

"What about a drummer?" Embry asked plugging himself in.

"Rose can do that." He answered and as if as on call Rosalie was at my shoulder heading back to the drum set. I stepped off stage and watched as Embry started the song with a guitar chord progression. After Rosalie and Emmett joined in Jasper started playing a lead guitar part over the rest of the song. It was beautiful. The guitar was the voice, almost as if it was the lyrics itself. He danced slightly moving his head to the beat of what I could only call the chorus even though it had no words. Jasper soloed through the song but at one point leaned over and said something to Embry, Embry laughed then pushed Jasper away and went back to playing guitar. Jasper continued in to another solo before finishing up the song. Words couldn't describe how amazing the song was.

I watched Embry play and it was if it was a totally different him then who he was trying to portray to me before. This Embry wasn't cold, this Embry wasn't guarded, and this Embry wasn't a jerk. He was the guy I always imagined he was before I met him. The song ended and I started cheering for more. Pretty soon Nick and Carter were next to me cheering for more. Embry had taken off the guitar by now and was headed off the stage. Jacob stepped up on my right side and cupped his hands in front of his mouth.

"Hey Embry, why don't you sing something?" He yelled. He laughed next to me.

"He thought he was going to get away with not singing after making me sing?" He said with a smile. I layered on my big green eyes batting them at him.

"Come on Embry sing a song." Embry didn't like this and winced. Jasper grabbed his shoulder and whispered something in to his ear then walked over to Emmett and said something to him. Emmett turned back to Rosalie and she nodded. Embry grabbed the microphone hesitantly.

"This is a rock song from the late nineties… hop you like it." with that Jasper opened up with a quiet opening riff and Rosalie came in with the drums loud and proud. Embry started head banging with microphone in hand.

"When dreaming I'm guided through another world  
Time and time again  
At sunrise I fight to stay asleep  
'Cause I don't want to leave the comfort of this place  
'Cause there's a hunger, a longing to escape  
From the life I live when I'm awake  
So let's go there  
Let's make our escape  
Come on, let's go there  
Let's ask can we stay?" he said pushing his voice out and surprisingly holding the note pretty well. He was just getting in to the song now. He was pressing his vocal cords. _Singing without a safety net._ I thought to myself. This guy never did anything half assed.  
"Can you take me higher?  
To the place where blind men see  
Can you take me higher?  
To the place with golden streets " he said releasing his voice. This song really complemented his voice. It wasn't too high, Embry was definitely a Baritone, if not a Bass and this song was not too high for him at all. It was really hot to see him outside of his comfort zone, doing something that made him uncomfortable. He was good too.  
"Although I would like our world to change  
It helps me to appreciate  
Those nights and those dreams  
But, my friend, I'd sacrifice all those nights  
If I could make the Earth and my dreams the same  
The only difference is  
To let love replace all our hate  
So let's go there  
Let's make our escape  
Come on, let's go there  
Let's ask can we stay?  
Can you take me higher?  
To the place where blind men see  
Can you take me higher?  
To the place with golden streets  
So let's go there  
let's go there  
Come on, let's go there  
let's ask can we stay  
Up high I feel like I'm alive for the very first time  
set up high I'm strong enough to take these dreams  
And make them mine.  
set up high I'm strong enough to take these dreams  
And make them mine.  
Can you take me higher?  
To the place where blind men see  
Can you take me higher?  
to a place with golden streets

Can you take me higher?  
To the place where blind men see  
Can you take me higher?  
to a place with golden streets" I forced myself to stay focused on the song I didn't want to miss a thing about him singing. It was amazing I was completely captivated. I couldn't understand how he could call himself a monster, he was probably the most sensitive guy I knew. We erupted with clapping. Carter and Nick smiled as the cupped their hands to their mouth and yelled 'FREE BIRD' Embry turned around wearing a smile before turning back to Jasper and asking something Jasper nodded and Embry turned back to the crowd with a huge grin on his face.

"Well the thing of it is, we can play free bird, but we need a lead guitarist… but who do we know who can play the lead guitar part to free bird?" He said grinning evilly. The color faded from my face immediately. He was talking about me. Nick and Carter got on either side of me and lifted me up by my arms and put me on stage.

"Well D, fancy seeing you here, you wouldn't happen to know how to play the lead part to free bird would you?" He said grinning from ear to ear.

"Can it before I punch you." I growled at him and He smiled handing me my electric guitar. I strummed the slow guitar part and the rest of the band followed my lead. Embry pulled out his Cell phone and used it as a lighter swaying back and forth slowly. He grabbed the microphone with one hand and waved his cell in the air. By now my whole family and his were waving their phones in the air with Embry. He was so damn likable some times, and other times, so many other times you just had to deal with what he believed because he wasn't afraid to tell you what he thought was right.

"If I leave here tomorrow  
Would you still remember me?  
For I must be traveling on, now  
'Cause there's too many places  
I've got to see

But, if I stayed here with you, girl  
Things just couldn't be the same  
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now  
And this bird, you'll cannot change  
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

And the bird you cannot change  
And this bird you cannot change  
Lord knows, I can't change  
Bye, bye, baby it's been a sweet love

Yeah, yeah" He said climbing up with his voice before coming back down for the next verse.  
"Though this feeling I can't change  
But please don't take it so badly  
'Cause the Lord knows  
I'm to blame

But, if I stayed here with you girl  
Things just couldn't be the same  
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now  
And this bird, you'll cannot change  
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

And this bird you cannot change  
And this bird you cannot change  
Lord knows, I can't change  
Lord help me, I can't change  
Lord I can't change

Won't you fly high, free bird, yeah?" He said pushing his voice out before started to head bang on stage. _Guess it's time for my solo._ I thought to myself.

Embry's POV

She looked uncomfortable at first but when she got in to the solo she pressed on, her fingers moving up and down the neck as if by muscle memory. She looked up at me to smile for a moment then her head moved back down to face the guitar as she ripped through the solo. After the song calmed down we finished and left stage before another request could go out. Jasper caught my arm.

"Hey Embry, we're heading out tonight, Jacob misses Ness and awful lot." I nodded understanding.

"Can you just give me some time to say goodbye?" Jasper shook his head.

"No, you need to drive your car back up, we'll run to the airport… Take your time… Don't rush it Embry, I know it will be difficult for you to say goodbye." Jasper said calmly placing his hand on my arm then hugging me. I returned it.

"Thanks for coming… really…" I said not knowing what to say.

"I'll see you back at the farm soon." He said with a smile before walking out of the room after Jacob and the vampires. I walked to D's father and handed him a small piece of paper.

"It's got my phone number and E-mail address, if anything happens to D, if she needs me… Tell me…" I sighed one last time before saying the real reason I was handing him my e-mail address.

"If she misses me… ever wants me back…" I said without saying anything more. Mitch gripped my arm in a reassuring hold. It wasn't a hug but I don't think either of us would be comfortable with it if he did hug me.

"Please stay the night, leave in the morning, it's gotten pretty late at least sleep here for the night." I sighed and nodded, agreeing to stay that long.

D's POV

Tonight I saw a different side of him completely, he wasn't cold, and he wasn't harsh. He was the most caring, warm person I'd known, even right now he was hugging Jasper goodbye. I didn't know what to make of it all. Up until tonight I wasn't completely sure if he was just acting in all of his e-mails to me. It was him through and through. I knew he was leaving but I didn't want him to go so fast. He made his way over to my father; He was talking to him, and what about I had no idea. Embry nodded solemnly. I hugged my brothers goodbye since they were all going back to the city, Sam back to college. I watched where Embry stood staring back at me. He held no malice, no discontent, as if he wasn't looking at me at all… but looking through me to who I really was. _I'll miss you when you're gone._

**I'm sorry to those who aren't down with the lyrical explosions all over the chapter but I thought this was a great way to show different sides of Embry and D so that's what I wrote it like this. Thanks for reading it. Remember reviews make the world go round. So review, comments, questions, concerns, knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills, and high fives.**


	15. Simple and Clean

Disclaimer:

Disclaimer Deuce:

Embry's POV

I woke up to a familiar and not completely welcome feeling. I woke up alone and while I woke up alone a majority of my life I liked the feeling of waking up with D in my arms. It was a cold harsh awakening to what the rest of my life would be without her. Deep down a small voice told me it'd be different some day that I'd find true love, but I was striking out repeatedly, first Leah, then D… how many times could I actually fall in love and have that girl find someone else? Everyone was so fond of saying fate shitting on Leah. She lost a father. I never had one… She had her heart broken… but when she did what did she do? She ripped in to everyone around her, pulled everyone down with her. I didn't. I just wanted to be loved. She had suitors when Sam left… I guess I did too… none I could really share who I was with. I guess I was jaded. She had suffered through more than I, but even if she didn't, no one seemed to give a shit. _Wrong, wrong, wrong!_ I yelled at myself. People did care. But that didn't change how this shit made me feel. _You really are selfish to the core._ I couldn't fool myself of anything. I forced myself to calm down. Flipping out wasn't a good way to start my morning.

I finally got out of bed and went through my morning ritual of readjusting myself. I exhaled slowly knowing this goodbye would be easy. It would hurt but it'd be 'Simple and Clean' how ironic that the song I refer means the exact opposite of what I said. Now it will be a clean cut, nothing to leave behind… The only reason I left Mitch that note was if she was in trouble, if she ran in to another guy like her boyfriend before me, or if this guy turned out to be the same. _Who are you kidding, you're hoping she wants you back and magically her father calls you up and you come and be her knight in shining armor._ I couldn't lie to myself, no matter how a long shot it might be, that's what I truly wanted. I grabbed the guitar I bought and made my way to the front porch quietly.

D's POV

I woke up slowly and was oddly cold. I hadn't been cold waking up in a while… I wasn't as comfortable. I woke up realizing I was in my own bed. I heard strumming in the distance. I heard soft melody being played. I followed my ears to it and through the doors I heard someone singing softly. I forced myself to strain my hearing to catch all the words.

"You're my world  
The shelter from the rain  
You're the pills  
That take away my pain  
You're the light  
That helps me find my way  
You're the words  
When I have nothing to say" I heard Embry singing and opened the door softly. I knew he noticed me but tried to act like he didn't. Nothing seemed to evade his notice. He continued singing and strumming.

"And in this world  
Where nothing else is true  
Here I am  
Still tangled up in you  
I'm still tangled up in you  
Still tangled up in you" I sat down across from him on the porch and stared into his eyes. He stopped strumming.

"Good morning D." He said with a faint smile. His hands stopped strumming. Desperately I wanted him to start playing again. His voice, his eyes, his playing was captivating.

"Please, keep playing I like to hear you." I said smiling. He returned the smile looking into my. His stare bore through me. He looked down and resumed playing and singing.

"You're the fire  
That warms me when I'm cold  
You're the hand I have to hold  
As I grow old  
You're the shore  
When I am lost at sea  
You're the only thing  
That I like about me

And in this world  
Where nothing else is true  
Here I am  
Still tangled up in you  
I'm still tangled up in you" our eyes met only for a moment before his eyes returned to his guitar.

"How long has it been  
Since this storyline began  
And I hope it never ends  
And goes like this forever

In this world  
Where nothing else is true  
Here I am  
Still tangled up in you  
Tangled up in you  
I'm still tangled up in you  
Still tangled up in you" he finished playing and his eyes returned to mine. We were too far away for my liking the chairs on the porch were facing each other. We sat there staring at each other but neither one of us wanted to break away. We couldn't deny this was firing on all cylinders.

Embry's POV

I finally averted my attention from her beautiful green eyes and picked up my guitar.

"Well I guess it's time to go." I said copping out of telling her how much I needed her. _She already knows it. I told her plenty of times online she knows it and I know it, she's moved on it's over._ I told myself. I looked deep in to her eyes before I put the guitar in its case. Everything else was packed, I just had to bring this to the car. I returned my eyes to hers looking in to them for the last time. I'd never forget the way they looked, her beautiful eyes. The way her hair was a mess yet perfect. I would need to remember it to know she wasn't just a passing dream.

"Well I guess this is goodbye then isn't it?" I said finally facing the fact that my time was up. Something in her eyes changed, she definitely didn't like that.

"Yeah… it is isn't it?" I nodded slowly even though I didn't want it to end. I never wanted to leave. I extended my arms and hugged her and she returned it softly. She wasn't breathing evenly but she wasn't crying either. I tightened my grip around her then turned and walked away.

"Good bye D…" I said walking away. I bounded down the porch and mentally I was screaming at myself. _Don't go you need her! She made her decision! You can't let go of her, not when she doesn't know how much she means to you! She knows._ Deep down that wasn't good enough for me but like the coward I'd become I was too afraid of what would come. I was too afraid of the consequences, I was too afraid of her reaction, I was too logical. _Since when is love logical? _I thought as my heart battled against my mind. I reached my car at the other side of the driveway. I gently placed guitar in the back seat. I looked back just once and saw her. She still was standing where I left her on the porch staring at me at that moment four words, a quote came to mind and changed everything. _No day but today._ I couldn't walk away. I couldn't keep living in the future and the past. I needed to do this. I needed to show her how much she meant to me. I wouldn't look back on this day and remember it for being a coward. I turned back to her and started to walk, after a couple steps it became a light jog. I stopped at the bottom of the steps and she came down a step until she was at my height.

"What is it Embry?" she said staring at me.

"Well you see D the thing is I just… well I don't know how to explain this but… I've had so much fun with the last days… not that hunting Xavier was fun… that was horrible…. That's not what I meant… well what I meant to say it the time we spent while that wasn't going on was…" _SHUT UP AND KISS HER. _I felt myself screaming to myself. I grabbed the back of her head and the side of her jaw softly and pulled her to me. My lips connected and I kissed her. I didn't move my lips because hers didn't I held it there for a couple more seconds before slowly pulling away. The look in her eyes was of surprise. She didn't say a word. I turned and made my way back to the car. I didn't run I knew that would look horrible, but I did walk quickly. _You dumb fuck, you should have listened to your head. She's got a boyfriend, she didn't want you! Shut up. What the hell happened to you, you used to be calmed and controlled until Leah mind fucked you! Shut up! You dumb fuck it was clear as night and day she didn't want you why'd you kiss her you pathetic fuck! SHUT UP!_ At that moment I heard quick foot steps behind me that I hadn't heard before because I was too busy mentally berating myself. I turned around and D was right behind me, then she jumped I caught her and took three steps back to hold the weight unprepared for. She was wrapped around me and she lowered her lips to mine attacking mine with hers. I pressed myself back against her until we were both out of breath. We were both panting tiredly. She finally starting to try and say something between panting gasps.

"Stay… Stay with me."

**Bet you weren't expecting that? Okay, so yeah it's not a huge surprise but it's a nice one… yeah I went soft and did something nice for Embry… I didn't want to but ahh shucks he's just such a swell guy. I know it's a shorter chapter but there wasn't much that happened. I took a short Hiatus to work on my other story "The Volturi Army Arises" if you haven't read it you should, it's parallel to this story… but I'm sure you've read that before. Thanks for the continued support through my writings, it really does mean a lot to me to get reviews. Remember to give high fives, knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills, and 'the nod'**


	16. What Fate took from Embry

**Disclaimer: Zomgorz, I'm not Stephenie Meyer  
**

**Disclaimer Deuce: time for a twist or two...**

**Embry's POV:**

I woke up slowly in a haze. I was more tired. I gripped sheets with my right hand but felt a very warm body next to me. The body wasn't as warm as mine though. The events of yesterday and yesterday night flooded my mind. I had said goodbye but neither one of us wanted me to leave. Pretty soon we were losing clothes and I was staying one last night. I thought it'd be different but it wasn't. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. I didn't regret any of it. I had the night of my life. I slid my hands off her naked frame and got out of the bed silently. I slipped my pants on and made my way to the porch. It was a beautiful September morning. I'd be worried because "alphatude" was meant to breed, but she told me a long time ago she was on the pill to regulate her cycle… I never found such conversations awkward, only when people made it awkward and started being disgusted about it. It was a function of the body, one in fact that helped birth me so how could I really find it so disgusting? _You really want to imagine your mom having sex with Billy Black?_ I shook the mental image out of my head. No there was some things that were disgusting but necessary. I shuddered momentarily. I heard D coming from the house. She wrapped her still warm arms around me. I felt a shirt against my back. I leaned my head back and she tipped her head down connecting her lips with mine. I pressed my tongue against hers and turned my body to her and lifted her in to the air still connected to her. When we finally parted I pulled apart. She was wearing the shirt I was wearing last night. It looked really hot on her.

"I like the way that shirt looks on you, much better than on me." I said before pulling her in to a kiss. She pulled away slightly.

"Funny I thought you'd like it better on the floor." I shrugged scooping her up in my arms bridal style.

"Guess I'm just old fashioned like that." I said beaming at her. She smiled back at me then wrapped her hands around my neck and pulling herself up to kiss me again. I hadn't felt this good in too long. I hadn't felt this right since Leah. It seemed like a life ago, but I could move on. I wouldn't tell D this but Leah would always have a piece of my heart… but D will hold the rest of it. I knew I shouldn't hold on to feelings for Leah but I couldn't deny that they were there.  
I shook the errant thoughts out of my head, why would I think of her when I have the most amazing person in my arms, literally. She leaned her head against my bare chest and I smiled.  
I pulled her inside and started making breakfast, with her assistance. She showed me where eggs and toast and all foods were so I could cook.  
I'd finished the meal and we were eating quietly and she was smiling. I couldn't hold in my emotions anymore. I leaned closer to her and kissed her on the forehead.

"I love you D." I said honestly she smiled back and kissed me on the lips softly before releasing me.

"I love you too Embry, and breakfast is amazing." I smiled proudly. After we finished eating I grabbed the plates and walked over to the sink and washed dishes. She slid her arms around my waist, then along the front of my pants.

"Last night was amazing…" she breathed on my shoulder. I tried to hide a shudder but failed. She smiled against me I could almost feel it but I knew she was.

"I'm glad I have that affect on you." I smiled at her. She kissed me back and then slowly pulled away.

"I could get used to this." I said with a smile. Something small changed in her demeanor but she hugged me tightly none the less. I felt something was off. I felt fear. I didn't know why but regardless I just continued through the motions of the day. I didn't want to leave but I knew I'd need to go home. I heard in the distance a car. I assumed it was on its way here since we were pretty far out in the country. It was well out of her hearing range, but it wouldn't be for long. I traced my finger down the side of her hip enjoying her body.

"Hey I'm gonna go get changed in to some normal clothes kay?" she told me I pouted slightly.

"I like the way you look." She smiled hugging me and I softly rubbed her ass. She ran upstairs and I heard the car coming in. I looked out the window, and the color faded from my face immediately. _Her boyfriend._ I thought to myself I wasn't wearing a shirt and I wasn't planning on changing that. He stepped out of his car and I could feel myself loathing him every second that passes. He knocked on the door and I opened it shirt of and a grin on my face.

"Oh hi there, I didn't know you'd stop by." He looked at me as if assessing me as a target. He was visibly displeased with my lack of wearing a shirt. D bounded down the stairs and she stopped short. I wasn't facing her because my back was to her I assume she figured out what was going on. She ran across the room and put a hand on both of our chests.

"What the hell is going on here?" he asked. She composed herself.

"Hun, well it's hard to explain but he saved my life and… well…" she tried to explain to him. I wasn't comfortable how she called him hun.

"I love you baby, just some things happened and well." She explained to her boyfriend. That pushed me over the edge. I traveled across the country for her and saved her life and she's proclaiming her love for him. _what the fuck._ I turned around and walked to the other side of the room. I needed to walk I needed to let my mind think for a moment. I heard him mutter. '_what's wrong with that freak'_ I heard him clear as day across the room. I ran back across the room jumping over the couch with ease and sliding past D wrapping my right hand around his collar and lifting him by it. He was waving his hands around trying to get me to put him down.

"Hey hey, man I'm a lover not a fighter." He said. I shook my head and laughed darkly at him.

"Funny you should say that… I'm a fighter, not a lover." I said not lowering my eyes from his.

"Although last night…" I said drifting off. He didn't like the connotation of what I said. He grabbed at my wrist trying to pull himself up to look at least slightly more dignified.

"What do you mean, last night?" He said staring me down. It was laughable really. He thought he could intimidate me?

"Well D and I… we…" I started to explain before D cut me off.

"It's not what it sounds like!" D yelled. I only tightened my grip on him. She was still trying to fight for him when I was right here. I rolled my eyes.

"We fucked like rabbits." I said finally staring in to his eyes. He looked hurt. _Good, that fucker deserves it._ After everything thing I've been through it was happening again. I threw D's boyfriend across the room and against a couch flipping it on its back. He got back up quickly and made his way over to me cocking his left fist back. _Amateur, _I thought to myself. He swung at my face and with both arms behind my back I side stepped, he fell forward throwing his whole body in to the punch I stepped to the side and placed my foot on his ass and pushed him to the ground as he was already falling. I sighed as he stood back up and took another swing at my face. I didn't dodge, I didn't move. I took it. I heard a loud cracking sound I knew was his knuckle, I'd learned from Jacob's story about Bella that we had extremely strong jawbones. It was slightly funny the way he was bent over his hand trying to show no reaction. D ran to him and grabbed his hand.

"You broke his knuckles!" She said yelling at me. I rolled my eyes again.

"He's the one who punched me." I said feigning innocence. I shrugged.

"You knew this would happen." She said looking at me with a look in her eye that hurt. It was the look of someone who didn't understand. She looked at me like I was a monster. She was right.

"I see you've made your decision." I said with a sneer at D. Her face softened slightly.

"Embry it's not like that it's just that-" she said trying to explain. But I interrupted her before she could.

"I saw the look in your eye, disgust… You look at me as a monster… all this time that's all I was to you." She started to cry and between pants she was walking towards me.

"That's not true Embry, I don't see you like that." For a moment my resolve faltered, but then her boyfriend pulled her back.

"That's right protect her from the monster." I said to him looking him in the eye.

"That's what you are, I should sue you for this." I laughed in response.

"Fate, please… just stop." She said addressing her boyfriend.

"Fate huh? How ironic that Fate's always been working against me trying to take away my Destiny." I said turning my back and walking away.

"So this is what Fate took away from me." I said looking back over my shoulder. D was running towards me.

"Stop D… You made your decision." I opened the door as softly as I could but it still came open quickly. Anger, pain, sorrow, and a whole slew of emotions were flooding me I jogged to my car. I jumped in and pulled the keys out of my pocket. I started the car and D was running after me. I spun out in the driveway fish tailing, with my left hand out of the window giving the middle finger. D never made it to me, I was gone. I sped away in my classic car with a new engine.  
I drove straight through the night. I drove straight home stopping only for gas when needed. At the gas station I'd grab something to eat only because I knew Alice was watching me. I tried to avoid thinking about D so naturally she was the only thing I could think of. I just wanted to be home. I just wanted to go back to living every day as a monotonous hell. Maybe I'd spend some more time with Mike Iverson, hope he could teach me more techniques for calming down. I didn't want to be asked a thousand questions but the Cullens never did. I wanted everything to work out. It never did though. I drove with the windows down, the wind always made me feel better, made me feel more alive. I was just entering Illinois when the passenger door opened to my car. Jasper sat down in the passenger side.

"Do you want me to drive?" He asked.

"No." I answered shortly. I wasn't angry at Jasper but I couldn't help but let it seep in to every word, every sentence. It wasn't his fault but right now I didn't care.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked honestly.

"No…" I said once again ice cold. I hadn't looked at him yet. I was too much of a slew of emotions, too many things going through my head. He was good to me, too good to me. I was being an ass hole and he just sat and listened through it all as if it was no big deal. That only pissed me off anymore. Everyone was so nice, everything was so perfect and I was the person messing everything else up. I was chaos in reason.

"Your self loathing won't help anyone, especially you." Jasper said calmly. I flexed my fingers on the wheel, but not enough to bring any damage to the proof that the Cullens went overboard I was driving in. I had to restrain myself, Jasper was always so right… It pissed me off. _What the fuck is wrong with you this is your best friend, and he's missed you being around, he fucking ran across three states to meet you half way._ I slowed down my breathing and he aided my calming myself down.

"I'm sorry Jasper… I loved her… I loved her with all of my heart. I loved her more than I ever thought possible after Leah. I thought there would be no one else. My heart had gone out completely and it would be ruined… She made me believe in love. In second love… she gave me hope… and now that's all gone. How lucky was I to find two women who love me… and yet I can't fall in love with either because I guess I'm not good enough for Leah anymore, and I'm not normal enough to fit in to D's life… I guess I'll always be a monster."

"You're not a monster Embry… you're a great person, you love fully, you wear your heart on your sleeve. I admire you for that." I rolled my eyes at Jasper. He was too much some times.

"Yeah… bull shit. I never thought I'd say this… but I wish I would just imprint, take this painful slow seductive dance of love away. Everyone pities Leah, because she had her heart broken by imprinting… at least she had that it was nature fighting against her and Sam… At least she knew there was nothing that could have stopped it… Me, I was just not good enough for her… I'll never have that 'at least somewhere she'll always be mine.' I'm not good enough for her, or D."

"Shut the fuck up Embry, you're flat out wrong. I don't get those two girls, because I'd seen in to the heads of both their boyfriends and you're a better man then both of them, so just shut up about this pity pot, cause it's not fucking true, I'll be here to remind you that any time you forget it." I rolled my eyes at him again. It was silent for the rest of the ride home. I stopped at the garage and he stepped out. For a moment he didn't move.

"The house isn't calm, let me check what's going on…" he said as he disappeared. I parked the car and followed in to the house. I was running now, curious at what had Jasper spooked.

"I hate you Black!" I heard Edward yelling. I turned the corner with a smirk.

"I'm not even in the doorway and you already hate me." I call and in that moment three things happen at once, Edward launched himself at Jacob, Renesmee moved and tossed Jacob behind her. Edward stopped short in front of Renesmee.

"Wow Edward, calm down. Don't get your panties in a bunch." I said rolling my eyes. He turned to me and jumped at me. Jasper moved quickly and then his knuckles connected with Edward's jaw. Edward started to shake out the cobwebs.

"Embry, you have no clue what's going on here. Back off." Emmett moved to Jacob to help him up and over to me.

"Why don't you two go for a walk, Edward needs to calm down… the more mortal of us should probably leave." I nodded making my way out of the door. Jacob was behind me. When we were out of ear shot range which was particularly far for vampires I asked the question I'd been wondering all along.

"Why does Edward want to rip your head off and piss down your throat?" I asked curiously.

"Well, umm… you see… I may of… kind of… had sex with her... it wasn't my fault!" he said trying to continue before I interrupted him. I laughed.

"Really? It wasn't your fault?" I said trying to keep a straight face.

"It was an accident!" he said trying to defend himself.

"What, did you slip in to bed?" I said. He swung at me and stepped away laughing. He sighed.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this. I knew back in Florida that Renesmee's feelings for me had changed, the way she held my hand, the way she pulled me close I knew she wasn't a child anymore. I guess when I kissed on the forehead on the way back from looking for you that was the last straw. She pulled me in for a real kiss and it was amazing… I don't know how to describe it…" I made a gagging noise.

"You do realize that one is what… four years old? Maybe five?" I said giving a rough estimation. He sighed heavily.

"You don't understand… remember how I was a ball of sexual tension when I had a crush on Bella?" I laughed remembering conversations we had.

"Something about fucking the next female that walks past you that isn't your sister?" He grew very red at the memory.

"Yeah well, when I imprinted all of that went away. All the tension, all the pent up desires, gone… and none of that mattered just taking care of Renesmee. So I did… I went down to help you out. You know, take care of Xavier. We were gone for a couple weeks. I come back and she jumped me. She wanted me. She started with kissing but pretty soon it escalated, and at that moment, all my tension, desire, need, as if hidden for the past four years shot out of me at once. I couldn't possibly give her anything but what she wanted, and that's what she wanted. I couldn't deny her that." He answered honestly.

"Well so I assume he just read your mind and saw it and that's how you got caught?" I asked just trying to sum up the last pieces. He rolled his eyes.

"Please, Call… I'm not that stupid I've learned to watch what I think around Edward, so does Ness." I shrugged.

"Then what is it then?" I asked. He shifted his weight back and forth slowly then his eyes returned to mine. They bore a certain weight of commitment, a certain level of loyalty.

"Renesmee is pregnant."

**Oh!!!! Bet you didn't see this coming? Well come on I figure after being a baby sitter for so long by now he's got to be a ball of sexual tension but just isn't I figured he'd release it when she became interested and wanted that, you know the whole imprint whatever the imprint wants… well I spent a long time on this chapter because it's important it sets up a couple big things, one being leaving D. well thank you for reading, remember high fives, knucks, and rolls of twenty dollar bills. Thanks for the reviews, and reading, TDFireProof**


	17. Duane and Brando

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer I'm not, because I got sidetracked for about… a month? Ah well I suppose that's inconclusive evidence that I'm not Stephenie Meyer, but please take my word for it**

**Disclaimer Deuce: WARNING this disclaimer might be important!!!! There are excerpts of rap in this chapter, while being video game based and extremely hilarious, there is still objectionable content to them. They do not reflect my feelings. Notice, this story is rated M, it always has been, just like most all my other stories**

**Embry's POV**

It came as a surprise that Renesmee was pregnant. I wasn't terribly surprised they had sex though. Jacob pulled himself out of the house quickly to greet me. _More like escape from fate for a moment, how cruel, yet funny._ I thought to myself.

"Hey Emb, what's up? How'd it go with D?" I shrugged.

"I would ask you how it went with Ness, but apparently it went well." I said evilly. He blushed fiercely.

"Hey man, it just happened…" He said putting his hands up as if to defend himself.

"What did you trip in to bed?" I said maniacally advancing my attack.

"Well you see… it wasn't like that… I mean it was like that… and well it was… well I don't know… I mean it just… well it happened man!" He said stepping back.

"Haven't you ever heard of the phrase 'don't be a fool, wrap your tool?'" I asked him trying to look serious but failing. I heard a laugh from Emmett from inside the house, I'm glad they were enjoying the conversation. He swung his arm out for a hand shake and I caught it. He pulled me in to a hug and I returned.

"It's good to see you man, even if you're being an asshole." I laughed at and Jasper appeared outside of the door.

"Hey, Mike has been worried about you… you disappeared for well over a month without a word… I told him you just got back." I nodded. I did leave rather abruptly without saying a thing to Mike.

"Remember that group, 'Duane and Brando' that Mike was talking about." Jasper said smiling. I nodded. It was this group that Mike was in to that put rap to old video games. I thought it was hilarious.

"Well they are playing tonight, and we're going to their concert… I thought it'd be a good way to spend some time with Mike while getting away from this." I pulled out my cell phone and scrolled through my contacts. I stopped at Mike Iverson. The phone rang three times before Mike picked up.

"Hello?" he asked. I'd forgotten he didn't have a Cell phone or even Caller ID.

"Hey Mike, it's Embry." I answered.

"Oh hey E, how you doing?" he said much more lively than before. I smiled, he had came up with that nickname for me since he didn't know many people whose name started with an E. That was until met Emmett, Esme, Edward, and I.

"Fine, Hey remember that group 'Duane and Brando' you like, you know the group that raps to video game music." I asked. He laughed on the other side of the phone.

"Yeah, yeah… I remember what about them?" I smiled on my end.

"You want to go to a concert?"

"Ahh, sure I thought they were local Michigan, what they're coming to Minnesota?" he asked anticipating it. Mike was kind of like a little kid when he got excited. It was humorous but at the same time admirable, anyone who finds that much excitement in life is doing something right.

"Well no they aren't coming to Minnesota, They're still in Michigan…" I said trying to sound like it wasn't a crazy idea.

"Ahuh, so how wes gonna gets up there?" he said faking an absurd accent. I tried to match his accent but failed miserably.

"Wells, we've arranged for shipments, airways… You knows." I answered slaughtering his faked accent. He dropped the accent when we mentioned flying.

"That's not normal… just up and flying across the states for a concert at the drop of a hat. I mean I'm not saying it doesn't sound like a great idea… but I just feel like we shouldn't... it seems slightly wrong." In many senses I agreed with him. We both didn't want to because it seemed like we were taking advantage of the Cullens but at the same time it was right there waiting, and it was something we both wanted to do. It had became the natural progression, and for the most part the Cullens won our arguments.

"Well should we swing over and pick you up now?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I'll see you soon." He said confirming it. Jasper was at my side with keys in hand. I followed him out to the Volvo, the 'less conspicuous' car. I climbed in as we sped down the road around the river to get to the Iversons home. They only lived across the river, but we still needed to drive half a mile to get to the bridge. Jasper decided he'd break the silence.

"The reason we got this flight is because a friend owes me a favor." I couldn't tell if he was serious, or if this was just a cover story.

"Yeah, if by 'owes you a favor' you mean you gave him a large sum of money." I muttered under my breath knowing full well he heard me.

"Maybe I'll let Mike drive, he probably knows the way to the airport better than we do." I laughed.

"Mike? He'll probably just stand there like, 'holy shit, you want me to drive that car?'" I said trying to do my best impression of him.

"He won't flip out about this car that much… it's not that nice." He said trying to talk down. I laughed at him as we came up to Mikes house.

"He probably will have a similar reaction to what I said… and yes this car is STILL that nice." As if on cue Mike was outside the door in a t-shirt and khaki shorts. It was well in to September and he had no problems with it. He stopped short and turned around running back in and back out with a light windbreaker. He stood in front of us as if needing to explain himself.

"Just in case something happens and we get stranded, I should have a jacket." Jasper nodded.

"Don't you think you should have pants too then?" I asked honestly. He laughed.

"Nah, I'll be fine… I wear shorts in the winter, you know that." He said. I did know that… this guy tended to not be affected by temperature nearly as much as we were. I smiled as Jasper tossed the keys to Mike.

"What's this?" He said looking down at his hand. Jasper made his way to the passenger side of the car.

"It's the keys, you probably know the best way to the airport." Mike shook his head quickly.

"No… well I can give you directions… I can navigate!" Jasper laughed and shook his head.

"No, You can drive." Mike laughed nervously.

"My car is ten years your senior, a maroon Pontiac Bonneville, it's a bonafied boat with wheels, not nearly as nice as your car. I couldn't possibly drive it." Jasper rolled his eyes as he climbed in to the back seat.

"We've got plenty of cars nicer, don't worry about it." I rolled my eyes, that wasn't reassuring.

"Oh and that makes it all better?" Mike said with a laugh. I got in to the vehicle leaving Mike alone outside of it.

"Shut up and drive." I said finally. Mike sat in to the car carefully as if not to disturb anything. He didn't even buckle his seat belt. He just sat there waiting.

"Well a nice way to start is putting the keys in the ignition, turning them, get the car turning… you know… start up the car." I said sarcastically.

"If I wanted your opinion I'd give it you to." Mike Iverson said looking back at me before buckling his seatbelt. He pulled out of the driveway taking a right further out of town.

"I thought we were going to the St. Cloud airport." I asked as he drove away from St. Cloud.

"Yeah we are, from here the freeway is quicker." Mike answered turning on to the freeway. The way he drove was as if he was scared. He barely pushed past two thousand rpms, even when he was accelerating on to the freeway.

"You drive like a grandma you know that right?" I said goading him. his eyes never once left the road, nor did he respond. It was odd it was like he had complete focus on only driving.

"Hello? Mike? You there?" I asked calling him.

"I'm sorry when I'm driving something this nice, I try to pay extra attention to the road… I mean I've told you about my track record with cars… and for some reason you're still insistent on my driving." While I appreciated the amount of care and respect he was showing to the Cullen's car, we did have somewhere to go. As if he could sense our wanting him to go faster he slowly accelerated until he was doing 82. It didn't seem odd, but at this speed it felt as if we glided on air instead of on tires. Mike had his reasons for being overly cautious, and I respected him.

We made it to the airport without any complications. Mike looked relaxed but I knew that wasn't natural. He didn't worry about many things, but he always had this worried expression to him when he wasn't at his house… as if he was afraid he'd break the floor by walking to hard, that he'd be impolite, that he'd be wrong. He was too worried about putting in the right impression. Jasper calmed him down while driving, and I felt it too. When he got out of the car he let a genuine sigh of relief out. I stepped out of the car and walked with Jasper ahead to the runway while Mike, as usual lagged behind slightly. It wasn't very noticeable at first but after this type of thing happening over the year I've gotten to know him I realized it was one of his traits.

"So, how did this end up panning out like this, you know someone at this airport?" Mike asked conversationally.

"Oh, just someone who owes me a favor." Jasper answered without missing a beat. Mike muttered 'bullshit' under his breath. Jasper smiled turning his head slightly to mine. We weren't supposed to hear that so we'd pretend we didn't. We climbed in to the plane and began our trip to Michigan.

Jasper led knowing perfectly well the way, pretty soon we had made it in to a small area with a stage. People were dressed up as video game characters. It was almost embarrassing to be here, but Mike hadn't seen me in so long, besides, a known insanity in a this world people know is 'sane' couldn't hurt. The truth was I never really listened to this music I was here for, Mike had shown it to me but I wasn't completely paying attention. Now I felt kind of bad for that. Mike turned to me quickly with a smile. I swear he was a kid in a candy shop now. It was nice to see someone who wasn't weighed down by the troubles of our lives once in a while. He was a rare breed though… he wasn't without trouble… every once in a while when he dropped his guard, you could see the fears, pain, and weights of his problems. I guess I'd become much more observant of people since becoming a wolf. I never would have examined anyone this much besides a girl before. _I guess it's Jasper's influence_. I thought to myself.

Duane and Brando stepped out, but I couldn't honestly tell which one was which.

"Our first one is from a series that has become a legend… Final Fantasy." The first one called. Sound cascaded in to music as he started rapping.

"Once upon a time in a land of Melmond the splendor of vegetation decayed (come on)  
It was prophesied that four stunning light warriors would come and save the day (a what what)  
Arriving in Corneria amiss of the deliria four mother fuckers a merged (hell yeah)  
to teach a valued lesson I bet you count your blessing for the beating that's about to occur (here we go)  
I am the fighter (name's Dune) I'm the leader of the gang  
can't use any magic but I'm critically acclaimed  
Introducing the red mage  
the jack of all trades  
both magic, crazy tactics  
leaving them all in their graves  
then there's the black belt and the black mage  
clumsy with their hands but fixing to put a hurting on all of ya fucking bitches  
(Don't forget after this we gotta stop at the shop, I ain't doing much damage with this the rock in a sock)"

"I am the red mage,  
pimpin' feather in my hat  
my name's JoJo  
need something' yea, I got that.  
watch your step,  
cause I stand where you fall  
Eloquent abilities and that's not all  
Ostentatiously fashionable…  
what's my name, bitch?  
light you on fire,  
and then I'll heal your shit  
just to burn you again,  
and then I'll cut you in two.  
it takes three men just to do what I do"

"And that's my cue.  
pointy hat,  
coat of blue,  
burnin' bright yellow eyes,  
and I do what I do  
cause I learned the dark arts  
from another time and age  
bow down to me bitches  
cause I'm the black mage!  
I got my wizard hat on,  
and I'm lookin' something vicious  
all the ladies call me lucky  
cause I'm magically delicious  
four spaces for a name?  
bitch, I only need 3  
L-E-O sign me up, for the final fantasy!" my attention faltered… this shit was hilarious I turned over to look at Mike, and even though no sound was escaping his lips I could see him rapping along with. I was impressed.

**Mike's POV**

Tonight was amazing. The concert was great, and we were just getting back in to the Cullen's car after the plane trip. I couldn't stop that slight twinge in the back of my head that something wasn't right. The way Jasper was so friendly, yet kept his distance, tried to generally keep Embry between us, or how excruciatingly warm Embry was. The pieces didn't all fit. I guess it was just me being crazy. This feeling wasn't anything new though. I'd felt it for a long time. I guess I just was trying to make it impossible to have friends. Maybe I was wrong… Maybe it was just me trying to find something wrong with these people who could have better friends than I who still choose to spend time with me. I stepped out of the car at my house and smiled. Tonight was fun, I still didn't understand why Embry was gone for over a month maybe I'd figure out tomorrow after school.

"Hey are you still coming over for a 'lesson' tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yeah sure, see you tomorrow." I maybe it was just me being odd, trying to find the spectacular in the unspectacular world, trying to see something that wasn't there… But maybe I was right too.

**I'm sorry both for the length of this chapter, and the time it took me to update it. I won't call it writer's block because that's a dirty term. I don't think I have it since I've planned out so much more story. With the decline of reviewers it's hard to get motivated to write, No I'm not holding any one hostage for reviews. It does help me write faster, and ideas get the mind rolling, I'm going to start on the next chapter tonight but don't know when it'll be up, but it will definitely be up sooner than the last one, hopefully it'll have more content. I'm sorry for the time it took, Life has been distracting. Thank you for staying with me through this story… more twists to come next chapters… Please review if you feel so inclined, thanks for reading, give knucks, high fives, and the ever prevalent roll of twenty dollar bills.**


	18. Ride on, Raven

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is wary of the ides of march… or at least that's my guess, I wouldn't know cause I'm not her.**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Beware of the Ides of March….**

**Embry's POV**

I didn't spend nearly as much time with Ness and Jacob as I should have. Everyone seemed to gravitate towards them in this time, now their child will soon be born and it's almost as if I avoid them. The truth is I wasn't happy, I wasn't giddy like everyone else was. I was heartbroken. A month ago I had to walk away from the second love of my life. I didn't know how my heart would ever be mended. I didn't want anyone to understand, but I wanted everyone to know my pain. I didn't want anyone to be able to survive this pain because I felt like I couldn't. Every morning was a new day, filled with old problems. They blended together, even with the joy that spread around the house like a poison, tainting everything and turning it in its direction it couldn't fix me. I had occasionally talked to Jacob, even Ness a couple times but since coming back I'd tried to avoid them. This was a very special time in their lives. I envied them for their happiness. It was like looking in at every single thing I wanted in life, and then having it shoved in my face.

That feeling is what I loathed, and more than that I loathed myself for being that jealous of my best friend's happiness. I should be happy for him and nothing more. I spent much of my time with Mike. I guess he could be considered a mellow person most of the time. Granted he had his moments of intense happiness he and he tried to be positive, when it came to trust and friendships he assumed everyone would stab him in the back eventually. He once told me that 'life is just a series of build ups, to see how hard they can throw you to the ground… and survive.' I thought it slightly cynical at the time but I guess I understood.

My thoughts returned to Jacob. It seemed in his life everything had worked out. I was happy for him, I really was. I knew he was excited to be a father. He would be a good one as well. I let out a slow sigh and a faint smile.

"Hey Embry, haven't seen you around too much." It was Jacob. I honestly didn't want to talk to him. It wasn't my place to steal his happiness today… Ness was going to have a baby soon he should be ecstatic, not talking to me.

"Oh, hey Jacob." I answered as positive as I could muster. Even the act of trying to be positive made me angry. I was irrationally mad at everyone when it was only one persons fault, and it was only her decision, and I had no control over it. I didn't understand how I knew I had no control over her but could feel so betrayed when she picked someone else.

"Nice try Embry, but I know you're doing shitty." My shoulders moved as I silently laughed. Jacob was definitely getting better than he used to be at reading me.

"You should be happy now. You're going to be a father… congratulations." I tried to say as convincingly as possible. Over years of being a wolf I'd gotten better at lying, but hiding my feelings was something I still hadn't mastered.

"I know you're jealous about this… I understand that, I just wish there was something I could do." Jacob said to me putting a hand on my shoulder. I turned to face him and gave him a look.

"What? I figured that out on my own." He said defensively.

"Bullshit, Edward told you." I said firmly. He finally nodded. He sat silently waiting for an explanation. I finally relented and started to speak.

"I've tried to be a good man… I've failed here and there… but I've just done everything I can to be a good person… I mean I've got my faults, I screw up here and there but… I think I've been a good man… or I hope I have been." I finished now staring down at my hands. I ran my hands through my hair grabbing tightly in frustration.

"I don't know…" I realized I was not without faults but there had to be something there. I pulled on my hair hoping something would come of it knowing nothing would. Jacob grabbed my shoulder and pulled me closer to him for a half hug.

"You should be going… You're going to be a father after all. You'd hate to miss becoming one." We both knew the Cullen's wouldn't let that happen, but he got the hint and stood up. Jacob turned to leave and started walking.

"You know if the child's a boy you're going to be his Godfather." Jacob said turning back. I almost said something but he stopped me.

"Like hell I'm letting Paul be his Godfather…" He said as if reading my mind. I laughed as he walked away.

"Hey speaking of that guy, He, Billy, and Rachael are flying out tonight." Jacob called. I nodded. I wanted to spend some time with Mike. He was the only of the people I talked to who wasn't enveloped by this. What was most annoying is I was looking at this river I could easily jump across from a tree but I'd need to explain why I didn't bring a car. I stared down at the river then reached in to my pocket. I dialed Mike's number.

"Hey man, you want to hang out some? I need to get out of the house." I heard loud sound behind Mike but wasn't sure how it all fit in.

"Yeah, siblings and I are practicing right now, you can come over and we can hang out after that."

"cool, see you soon!" I said more excited than I expected. It wasn't that I hadn't done things with Mike recently, but his ability to be turn on a dime was both a curse and a blessing. I ran out to Volvo stepping in for a moment only to grab the keys. Edward would tell everyone what was up I didn't need to ruin their fun. Within a couple minutes I was at the 'chicken barn' at the Iverson's. I never understood why it was called the Chicken barn, I'd yet to see one chicken but a plastic hallow chicken. I opened the door and stepped in as the Iversons finished up. Mike's younger brother, James was playing guitar. His older brother Jed was sitting on a box, that he hit making drum noises, his sister whom I had only met once kari was playing the violin, and his oldest brother Alex was playing the Bass guitar. Mike was singing.

"Hey you want to do this one more time for your friend." Alex asked Mike who was slightly nervous.

"I don't know… you know I haven't sung that much." He said backpedalling.

"Well then we need to practice, you don't want to be nervous for Mom and Dad's Anniversary, do you?" He sighed softly, nodding. Kari started playing the violin softly before Jed started a soft beat on the box drum, followed by James on guitar then Alex coming in with the bass line.

"True you ride the finest horse I have ever seen  
Standing sixteen, one or two. With eyes wild and green." Mike said timidly and stopped. The rest of his family stopped as well. His younger brother James sighed heavily, slightly disappointed. Alex walked up to Mike and grabbed his shoulder softly. They talked quietly and could barely hear them even with my improved senses.

"Come on Mike… you can do this… you've got a fine voice… you just did this… just take a couple breaths in and out and relax." He said. Mike nodded and stepped back up to the microphone. This time he breathed in and out two times and his shoulder visibly relaxed. He nodded to his sister who began again this beautiful melody before the rest of the band came in.

"True you ride the finest horse I have ever seen  
standing sixteen, one or two. With eyes wild and green." His voice was confident, it was really strong.

"When you ride the horse so well, hands light to the touch  
I could never go with you no matter how I wanted to."

"Ride on, see you, I could never go with you  
no matter how I wanted to.  
Ride on, see you, I could never go with you  
no matter how much I wanted to." He had regained confidence. I hadn't heard him sing like this before. I'd heard him sing a little here and there… in a car… or for fun, but not like this.

"When you ride in to the night without a trace behind  
run your claw along my gut one last time.  
I turn to face an empty space where used to lie  
and look for the spark that lights the night  
through a teardrop in my eye."

"Ride on, see you, I could never go with you  
no matter how I wanted to.  
ride on, see you, I could never go with you  
no matter how I wanted to." While I wasn't paying attention to Jed he had moved to the drum set and with a few hits and a switch on the guitar, they were in to a slow rock song. Mike smiled, it was his confident smile. It was airing on the side of cocky but it was still fun. He grabbed the Microphone and sang an octave higher in a slow rock voice that fit him perfectly.

"Ride on, see you, I could never go with you  
no matter how I wanted to.  
Ride on, see you!" he sang loudly before the band started to slow down.  
"I could never go with you  
no matter how I wanted to." Mike sang loudly as he ended the song. Alex had his bass off in a moment and was by him hugging him.

"That was awesome Mike, best time yet." He said with a big smile. It was strange… His voice was lower than mine but he hit a note I couldn't have hit. He smiled walking up to me for a moment then stepped out.

"Wow… I really thought my voice was going to crack or something hitting that note." He said with a big grin. He was in one of his happy moods. I smiled.

"You sounded like a Rock Star." I said honestly. He laughed embarrassed. He never was the best at taking compliments.

"Yeah yeah… so what's up?" He asked me. I smirked slightly.

"Actually I came here because everyone over there was too happy." I said with a dark laugh. Mike smirked with a look on his face that he could do that for me.

"I came here expecting you to be Johnny Raincloud." I said honestly trying to keep a straight face. He smiled and mock saluted me.

"Aye, aye, Deputy Downer!" I laughed and went for a walk. Mike was having one of his better days, maybe I wouldn't ruin it for him.

"So what's up at the house that everyone's so happy?" The blood faded from my face. I knew I couldn't answer that question.

"Oh, nothing… they just are happy." I said quickly hoping he'd buy that. He made a fake coughing noise.

"Bullshit!" then he coughed again covering it up. I smirked.

"You should have that checked out." I said feigning innocence.

"But seriously, Jasper 'Mr. Sunshine' Hale is never up, what's going on?" I shrugged.

"I don't know everyone just seemed too happy today, and I wasn't feeling it. I just wanted to be away from that." He nodded accepting my answer.

"So what was with that song you played?" I asked him, it sounded different…

"Oh that was an Irish song, Ride on… my mom is very proud of her Irish heritage and we're going to play that at their anniversary for them."

"Shhh, they don't know yet, it's a surprise… we're coming up with a song for my dad too." He said before we stepped in to the house. He grabbed a practice pad and tossed me a pair of sticks before pulling his own out of a stick bag. He started drumming doing something above my pay grade then stopped for a moment.

"Eight on a hand?" I nodded, it was always a nice place to start with basics.

**Mike's POV**

My parents told me to stay positive, to try and smile, even when I didn't feel like there wasn't anything worth smiling about. I guess it was my cynical nature, but after Amanda, AND Tanya I wasn't feeling very positive about my chances. Life was more simple when I had closed myself off to emotions, before I opened myself up. Sighing I picked up the Two Towers. My older brother had been pestering me to read Lord of the Rings for years, and finally here I was. I couldn't get my mind of Tanya. She was amazing. I sighed. She was out of my league. I didn't understand why she went out with me in the first place. I bet it was a favor for Rosalie when things got weird around school. I still didn't understand Rosalie.

_Correction, you still don't understand women period._ I laughed ironically at myself. No, I didn't understand women. I fancied myself a pretty good reader of people, but when women came along and brought emotion in to the equation I was out of luck. I guess I'd fallen pretty hard for Tanya as well. Though it didn't feel like she was playing me I couldn't help but feel the twinge in me as if she was. I was tired but instead of sleeping I was reading. I should go to sleep but I couldn't help myself. Tonight I just wanted to think, and that meant be alone in my pain. Today was fun, I got to spend time with my brothers, play some music and drum with Embry, but at the end of the day, I still missed Tanya. I didn't even know her that well… we just went out for a while some months ago. I suppose I shouldn't have gotten attached I knew she lived in Canada. I breathed out slowly forcing my mind to clear. Years of martial arts coming in to play. I was almost falling asleep as I did this but I forced my eyes in to the book.

"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,  
over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore." I was immediately awoken by this voice. I didn't know where it was coming from. I didn't suspect it was coming from my room.

"While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping  
as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door." I was still tired but I was definitely completely awake. I put a book mark in Lord of the rings and grabbed my pair of drum sticks. I tried to follow where the sound was coming from. I found the source the cold air from the window. I made my way over slowly and quietly. I stepped in a sheet of paper making a little noise. I heard a small laugh.

"Don't you want to hear about Embry's secret? The Cullen's Secret?" I stopped dead. _There is something to it. I knew it._

"What do you mean? I have no idea what you're talking about?" the voice that hadn't stayed the same for long. He changed his voice and accent every so often I couldn't place him at all.

"Haven't you noticed they're never out in the sun… they skip school those days? Haven't you noticed the way their eyes change colors… that's not natural… they move so perfectly… they have ice cold skin…" I shook my head.

"No, Embry doesn't fit that description at all."

"No… he doesn't… but this book… explains him." the voice said before a large brown covered book was tossed in to the room. I picked it up in the darkness. My night vision was pretty good still.

"He is one of the tribe from La Push… Everything in there is true… have a good night now." He said before laughing evilly. I ran out to look out the window but there was nothing. No one was there. I slid in to my bed. I guess this was all a dark dream, I'd wake up tomorrow and everything would be fine. Everything would be alright. I closed my eyes tightly and the dream faded as darkness welcomed me with nice warm open arms.

**Yeah I'm already done with another chapter… I told you I was writing again… don't know how fast I'll come up with the next one because I'm supposed to have a happy chapter or at least the celebration of Jacob's child…. Damn I'm hungry I'm gonna go get some food. Please review, thanks for the support, remember do drop off ur high fives, knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills and review shaped love.**


	19. With or Without you

**Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer because she wouldn't be sitting on campus writing on a laptop doing next to nothing for hours working on a story…. I think**

**Disclaimer Deuce:**

**Yuffie: "I don't get it, why can't we help out?"  
Cid: "This is man talk."  
Yuffie: "Sexist! Sexist!"**

**Embry's POV**

I couldn't believe it, it seemed so long to wait, and yet it was only one month… most people endured nine months of this. This intense happiness, and waiting was driving me up a wall. Paul and Rachael flew in last night. Today we were going to school. We'd missed many days, most of all I had. Jacob didn't want to leave Ness's side but we were assured he's get a call in plenty of time to come back if we needed to. I sighed heavily, it seemed like a lifetime ago I was at this school, and it wasn't long enough. So much had happened over my extended summer break. We pulled in to where we parked. It wasn't a lot, it was a hill. Usually we met Mike out here but his car was parked up the hill. He probably came in early to work on something. We made our way up the hill to our lockers. Today was my first day of classes and I had no clue where my locker was. Jacob was lackluster as he led me to my locker. We were in the junior hallway, the furthest away from anything that resembled convenience. As always we attracted the eyes of the girls. I hadn't been around so I was getting more attention than Jacob. This was one thing frustrated Mike beyond reason, since he was all but ignored. I understood where he was coming from though, before becoming a wolf I wasn't muscular, I was actually kind of geeky looking. Now that I had their attention I just wanted to be left alone.

I guess at the end of the day it was that I wanted to be seen for more than who they could see. _I don't want to be perceived the way I am I just want to be perceived the way I am._ That phrase was ironic. I couldn't find Mike in the whole hallway. He wasn't here. I knew he wasn't skipping because he never skipped, and I knew he wasn't sick because he rarely ever did, and he was perfectly fine last night. Something didn't feel right. I dismissed it and headed to my first class. I had Government with Mr. Greicer. He always referred to North Dakota as the 'promise land' saying that the Hebrews got it wrong. Mr. Greicer always fancied himself a funny person, but his jokes he spoke in the same slightly monotone voice he gave his lectures in. I guess for him it was a way to see who was paying attention. I sighed letting my mind drift to Mike Iverson… something was up.

**Emmett's POV**

I had first period English with Mike Iverson. He was sitting in the far corner, it wasn't where we usually sat. There was barely enough seats for everyone in class and we usually sat next to each other. His head was in his hands. He was dozing off. That was odd. As long as we'd known him he was a morning person. Mrs. Devrise didn't appreciate his lack of attention as she coughed but he didn't move.

"Shakespearean Sonnets are an example of Iambic pentameter, who can give me the definition of Iambic Pentameter?" she scanned the class room. I saw the hint of a smirk on her face.

"Michael Iverson? Could you answer the question?" Mike was shaking his head in a motion to wake himself up.

"wha… what was the question?" he asked still trying to force himself awake.

"What makes up Iambic Pentameter, what defining qualities does it have?" His eyes weren't completely focused yet I could see.

"Well Iambic means that there is a pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables." He answered. She almost seemed disappointed.

"And… Pentameter means five legs. A leg is a grouping of unstressed and stressed syllables." He said waking up slightly more. Mrs. Devrise seemed disappointed at Mike's knowledge of English.

"What would be the term used for stressed then unstressed syllables? And what would be an example of one?" Mike was awake enough to know this. It was almost funny watching the teacher try to catch Mike off guard now.

"Well… it's umm… called Trochaic… and The Raven is a poem that is Trochaic…" he said before Mrs. Devries continued her class. Something was definitely different about him… Class dragged on slowly and without any further incidents. I couldn't help but feel a tension coming from Mike. As soon as the bell range for class he was out of his chair and leaving as quickly as possible. I followed slowly behind him at a normal pace. He was racing down the stairs trying not to gain attention and before long he was at the bottom nearing the basement hallway. I flipped out my phone sending out a text to those of us at school. _'Something wrong with Mike, find him'_

**Embry's POV**

I had no clue where he was but all of us were looking for him. No one knew had an idea what was wrong, but I had a feeling something was up. I entered Blessed Spirit Performing Arts Center. The rest of the Cullens were checking the other hallways, besides I had a feeling this is where he'd run to. I ran up the hallway following the faint scent of him. I wasn't sure it was him, but I had an idea it was. The hallway was a ramp that connected to the back of the room. There were two large practice rooms on either end, with a piano in each and three smaller ones in the middle all of which had their lights off. I took a big sniff of air. I tentatively opened the middle door turning on the light. Sitting in the corner clutching drumsticks was Mike. I recognized how he held them. He taught me a thing or two about knife defense… and right now he held one defensively and one offensively.

"Umm…. Mike… what's going on?" I asked not having a clue. He pushed his body up to standing position, his eyes not once leaving mine. I'd only seen him like this once, when he was fighting some classmates. His eyes had a determination in them but at the same time there was a fear barely recognizable under it. I'd seen it in his eyes, but now that I saw it I could see it in his body. His arms weren't calm. His body was slightly shaking.

"You tell me, you're the one _hunting_ me." he said emphasizing the word hunting. I laughed trying to fake ease.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I was just worried about you Mike, came looking between periods." I said possibly overdoing the laxness in my voice. His guard didn't falter for a moment.

"Well then you'll let me walk away and you won't follow me right?" he said still tense. Something was definitely wrong. My gut was telling me not to let him go. I'd learned to listen to my gut a long time ago.

"I can't do that, I'm worried about you." He sighed dropping the drumsticks and his body relaxed. His eyes even dropped from mine for a moment.

"I'm fine man." He said extending his hand for a handshake. I grabbed his in a firm hand shake and felt a quick pull and twist and Mike was standing between myself and the door and my wrist was bent backwards in a wrist manipulation my body was turning with it. I closed my eyes for a moment pushing the pain out of my mind. Then I pushed with my strength to a neutral standing but I was still in pain. It became obvious by the fear in his eyes he'd never seen anyone do that. He gripped again and swung his leg before I knew what was happening I felt his foot punting me between the legs. He turned and ran closing the door behind him. I tried to follow him but the pain from getting kicked in the groin was severely hampering me. I limped to the main hallway and heard the door shutting to the right of me. I didn't know my way around this place nearly as well as he did but I think he ran out the top of the hill to the parking lot and hill. I flipped out my phone I dialed Rosalie's number quickly, knowing she had Phy-Ed this period and was the closest to the hill where we parked. After four rings Rosalie picked up.

"What is it now?" She said angrily. She didn't like this thing we were doing to Mike. No one would say why because we always knew that Rosalie the ice queen had a warm spot for Mike. She didn't like that we didn't trust him. If any of us were going to talk to him it'd probably be her, especially after what just happened.

"Mike is running to his car… I think, you're the closest person." I said with a wince. She sighed over the phone.

"What happened to you?" she said in a conversational tone, void of any concern.

"Mike used his martial arts on me, almost broke my wrist, and then kicked me in the balls." Rosalie laughed harshly at me.

"Fine… I'll talk to him, but you better all stay back." She said giving in finally.

"Okay… but we'll be around." I said flipping my phone shut.

**Rosalie's POV**

I looked out of the window and saw Mike sprinting down the hill. I smirked. _He moves well for a big guy_ I thought to myself. I stepped out of the gym after I changed in to my normal clothing and saw him running to his car. I quickly glided after him, but at the same time trying to look natural.

"oh no! no! no! no! shit I forgot my back in the practice room with the keys." I heard him say in the distance. He opened the gas cap and then ran back to his door turning it and opening it with what I assumed was a key. I was closing the distance he reached in to the back of the car and as I neared 15 feet from him he turned around with a shot gun pointed at me. I stopped dead in my tracks ten feet away from him.

For a moment neither of us said anything. He wasn't stable. I could see that. His hands were shaking on the gun. I turned my head finally hearing Emmett in the distance.

"Back off." I hissed at him quick enough that Mike didn't catch it, but he knew something had just happened. The shaking got worse.

"Why…? Why does it have to be like this? I mean, I always thought there was something different about your family… I knew it… all along, but still I thought hey, maybe they're my friends because of it… what does this all mean? Why… I mean why does this happen to me… the only people I ever connected with… please… just don't be a monster Rosalie… Everyone else can be a monster… but please don't be one of the cold ones…" _cold ones._ The name ricocheted in my head from every angle, the way he said it… with such fear and pleading. He told me he was his first kiss… He was pleading with me not to be a monster… saying anyone else but me could be one… begging me… I didn't choose this fate. His hands were shaking. I realized how dangerous it was holding a rifle on the verge of tears.

"Mike… you need to put the gun down… you'll accidently shoot it." He laughed and sniffed wiping a couple tears out of his eyes. He dropped the gun. I resisted the urge to catch it not wanting to go off, but more worried about letting Mike see what I was.

"What's it matter… It's empty… I told you I've never shot a gun… and I couldn't ever bring myself to shoot you..." He slid down the side of the car.

"So I guess I need to die now… okay… please… I'll go with you… just don't kill my family… please." He said dropping his head to his hands. He was shaking. He seemed to be close to tears. I didn't move.

"None of that is going to happen… but we all do need to talk now…. We need to figure out where to go from here…" I sighed heavily trying not to show anger.

"But this severely complicates things."

**Mike's POV**

Embry limped down the hill with my back pack in hand. I pressed my body against the car and Rosalie stepped forward as if protecting me. Rosalie ran to him and grabbed my backpack. Now that I knew that everything wasn't as it seemed the way she walked, the way she ran… she glided, almost as if she never touched the ground at all. I had noticed it before but now the pieces were falling in to place. Rosalie must have said something because Embry wasn't coming back with her. She smiled.

"I didn't think either of you wanted to talk after you played punter with his family jewels." I winced slightly. I wasn't completely comfortable with what was going on, but Rose said I wouldn't be hurt… and as wrong as it was since my logical side of my mind was screaming, I did. She opened my door and climbed in to the car.

"Come on, it'd be kind of awkward if I had to make you come with me." I nodded walking around my car. I nodded climbing in to my own car.

It was an odd feeling, like I was in a completely different world then the one I lived in my whole life. Sitting next to me was a gorgeous woman who was apparently a vampire, and not sucking my blood, and more than that, not bursting in to flames. That's what got me, the lack of flaming death going on. I hadn't seen her in the sun though. Perhaps she really would burst in to flames in the sun.

"Rose…" I said my voice losing its determination as I spoke.

"Yeah Mike?" she said looking at me. I didn't like it when she looked at me. It made me nervous. I didn't even understand why she put up with me. Deep down I figured she just liked the attention. She had Emmett and that's all she wanted… besides the fleeting attention of every guy. I shrugged.

"I know this might be an odd question but… do you burst in to flames in sunlight?" I said wondering. She politely smiled.

"No we don't, weird as it is… we just kind of sparkle… I don't get it either." I smirked. _Well obviously that means they aren't REAL vampires… which is why she's not eating me right now. _I barely managed to hide my laugh. We pulled up to their house. It was so weird looking at it now. It was like I'd never seen it before. It was a new place. Deep down a sickness covered me. I didn't recognize it at first because I never got sick. I had an amazingly resistant body to sickness and temperature. It's one of the reasons I wore shorts through the winter, but here I was sick from fear. I didn't know what was going on completely but I knew that I believed that each and one of these people I'd learned to call friend could rip my body apart limb by limb in a matter of seconds without breaking a sweat… and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. I didn't think it was cowardice to feel such a fear at the thought that my best friends had the urge to suck the life out of me, literally… but told me they didn't want to. I suppose that did make sense but I still felt the overwhelming desire to run. Why I had no clue… knowing very well that Rosalie could leave the car driving down the road, catch me and get back in the car with me before it went off the road. Rosalie looked over at me and smiled.

"Relax Mike, everything will be fine. If we wanted to drink your blood it would have already happened." She said with a smirk.

"Not exactly the most comforting thing you could have said." I said then my face drained of color.

"Tanya is a vampire too… isn't she." I said as a statement. I knew it. I dropped my head in to my hands for a moment. I fell in love with someone I could never be with. Who was I kidding, I knew she was out of my league. I knew it from the first moment I saw her. The way she smiled… her grace… the way she commanded a room as soon as she walked in to it. Maybe she only commanded my attention.

"Yes she is…" Rosalie said uncomfortably.

"So… I guess everything was fake… never mind…" I said drifting off, wishing I hadn't said anything. We were only a mile away from the Cullens. Rosalie sighed pulling out her phone.

"Who are you calling?" I asked curiously. She shushed me and I didn't make a noise. She quickly dialed a number. I sat silently.

"Yeah, Hi Tanya… could you come down here?" I started to say something but Rosalie covered my mouth with her cold hand. I then realized she didn't have a hand on the steering wheel.

"No, that was Mike." Rosalie smiled pulling her hand away. I didn't attempt to say anything.

"Why are you jealous that he's alone in a car with me?" she laughed.

"Yeah I'll see you tomorrow." Rosalie said shutting her phone.

"What do you mean tomorrow?" I said trying to act innocently.

"She's on her way… she can run very fast, between that and flights she'll be here pretty darn quick."

"How do you know everything…" I said still not catching on.

"Oh yeah… umm… Edward read your mind." I stopped mid thought, _wait what?_

"Wait, what? Edward read my mind? What do you mean he read my mind?" I said stumbling over my words.

"Yeah… he does that… kind of a whiny bitch about it too. He doesn't like how much of an elitist snob you secretly think he is." I stumbled over my words as Rosalie laughed pulling in to the driveway.

"Well, ahh… but… I mean… its… dang it! he's not supposed to hear my thoughts!" Rosalie smiled and nodded.

"Don't worry, we've stopped editing our thoughts as well." I actually quite worried. I made a habit of not pissing people off. I always tried to be a good honest person, but at the same time how was it fair that I couldn't think my own personal thoughts?

"Mike? Are you still on that? People have thought much worse of him. In fact plenty of the time it's us thinking worse of him." I shook my head out as we came to a stop in the car.

"Wait a second… if Edward can read minds… can he tell me what Tanya thinks about me… really?" I asked. Rosalie smiled evilly.

"He could, but that's for you to find out." She said stepping out of the car. I climbed out as well.

"Wait! Why did he tell you how I felt then?" I asked as she made her way towards the house at a normal pace.

"Entertainment value."

I watched Embry limp in to the room. There were three people I didn't recognize, a woman who was pregnant, A large guy who looked like Jacob and Embry's brother, and a small woman paling in comparison standing next to him.

"So is this the guy who all the fuss is about? He doesn't look that special." Said the large guy. He was huge and scary, but even now he had his arm around a small woman. Jasper growled at him and he snarled back.

"You weren't anything special till you became a werewolf either Paul." Embry said still limping.

"Least I didn't get beat up by a human." The woman at his side hit his arm.

"Is there something wrong with humans, dear?"

"No, hun I'm sorry." He said apologizing.

"Wow I can see who the bitch is in that relationship." I muttered. Paul growled and took a step forward and in an instant Jasper and Emmett were standing between us. I had forgotten that they had really good hearing.

Edward entered the room with Bella and now everyone was here, and still this mystery woman who was pregnant. Carlisle stood taking position at the head of the room.

"Mike… it's been brought to our attention that you have attained information about our family. You know our secret." I nodded gulping down. I felt relaxation wash over me even though it was the last feeling I felt right now.

"Do you have any questions?" Carlisle asked with a smile.

"So… you all… kind of… want to… well… umm… drink my blood right now?" Jacob laughed shrugging.

"Embry, Paul and myself are werewolves, we don't want to drink blood at all…" I nodded. Rosalie spoke next.

"No… We've made our habits of not drinking human blood… I've never drank any human blood and neither has Carlisle. I nodded.

"Well I guess since you're like fake vampires or something it should be fine." I said sarcastically.

"Fake?" Emmett said amused.

"Yeah, I mean you don't drink human blood and you don't burst in to flames in sunlight." I answered.

"Yeah I know, sorry to let you down." Jasper smiled.

**Embry's POV**

I had to step out. I didn't really like the fact that I'd been bested by a guy who wasn't in great shape, almost a foot shorter than me, and I could throw around the room. It hurt my pride. I tried to push that out of my mind forcing myself not to limp as I made my way to the river. People didn't 'heal' from a shot to the groin though… it hurt just like I remembered them hurting. I looked out at the river. It was dark and quiet. Night had fallen and what had taken over were the serene sounds of fall at night. Everything moved quietly to the symphony of night. I sat taking in everything all at once letting myself be, stopping life… if only for a couple minutes to take in tonight. It was strange, knowing that my life wasn't getting any easier, or less complicated, that I wasn't happy… that everything was a mess, but being content. The night sky was beautiful, and the stars shimmered against the Sauk River. I was alone for now… and I needed that. I smiled to myself quietly looking over the water.

"I can't live… with or without you."

**And another chapter comes to a close. Well I don't know how long I can keep writing, since people aren't showing interest in this. Next chapter will feature Tanya and Ness… IF people review. I guess I'll be heading back to my other story for a while… I was hoping for more interest nearing the end of this story but it seems it has all but fallen off the face of the world. Well I hope you enjoyed the chapter, leave reviews, high fives, knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills. Catch you on the flipside. **


	20. The new family member

**Disclaimer: Eh? What's that? Stephenie Meyer? Oh that's not me**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Hey this will be one of the last chapters focused on Mike, I'm sorry if you don't like his character as much as Embry.**

**Mike's POV**

I had managed to make it through today at school without any incident. It was only yesterday that I learned of their true identity. Now here I was sweating bullets trying to calm myself down, nothing was calm… apparently Jacob had knocked up this Ness girl who was Edward and Bella's daughter, which still got me since Bella's age was only twenty two, which she didn't like to be called… something about being young got to her. Rosalie called Tanya yesterday, or faked it. she'd said she's coming today… I forced myself to relax stepping in to the first move of Chil Sung Il ro hung. I breathed deep and extended my arms and pushed out with a soft breathe. _What if she was lying? Would Rose really do that to me? Why would she do that to me? What if Tanya isn't coming? What if she is? Does she really like me? Why are you thinking of this she's a vampire who lives in Canada?_ I thought to myself as I finished the form. I heard clapping and turned to its source. There sitting in a tree as if as natural as breathing itself was Tanya. I knew it was her but didn't believe at the same time. Her smile was captivating. She leaned backwards falling out of the tree flipping and landing on her feet on the ground.

"Hey Mike… how have you been?" she said smiling her beautiful smile approaching me. Her hair was curled and reddish blonde, smell still intoxicating and her eyes golden. Even though I knew she was a vampire that wasn't the fear I was suffering from around her. I was more worried that I was sweaty from martial arts. I couldn't place it but I knew I should fear her, but I couldn't. She scared the shit out of me, but not because she could crush me with her pinky, but she had my heart in her hands to hold and care for. _That was pathetically romantic_ I thought to myself. She stood up to be only slightly shorter than me and her hair was a brilliant soft red color. At this moment though I just realized she asked me a question.

"Oh well… you know… okay… getting ready for my parents anniversary barn dance, got a B in an lit quiz, just learned all my friends happen to be vampires or werewolves, you know… every day stuff." She giggled next to me and my heart bounced. I didn't want to have this strong of feelings but at the same time it was exhilarating.

"It was nice to see you do some martial arts… You know I think it's hot." she said now walking next to me. I was blushing fiercely. I didn't have a destination but just kept walking. I had fooled myself in to thinking while .

"Yeah… I am actually waiting to test for my black belt… there is a one year waiting period." I told her honestly. It was amazing she was here… after everything I had been through I wanted to touch her… make sure she was real. She was leading, we were on our way to down to the river. Her arm bumped mine a couple times and I knew something was up. The more I learned about vampires the more I figured out nothing happened they didn't want to, or 'accidently.' The next time her hand touched mine a tried to reach out and grab it.

"Woah, wait there killer." She said teasing me. I stopped spun on my heels and started walking back to the house. She was in front of me before I completed the turn.

"And where do you think you're going?" she said. I was surprised… I wasn't used to someone just appearing in front of me that was behind me.

"Well…. Ahhh… back to the house." Tanya shook her head with a smile, her hair swinging in front of her face and back. The beauty of that simple gesture wasn't lost on me. I stopped for a moment.

"Don't do that! I don't like feeling like I have no control…"

"I'm sorry… I won't do that… I'll be more human around you…. After I take you to the Cullens."

"Wait… what do you mean 'after I take you to the Cullens.' Do you mean you're going to do something?" She smiled a slightly evil smile out of the side of her mouth, it was extremely attractive, I felt my heart rate rising, I forced myself to calm down, she could hear it as clear as day.

"Besides I already told your mother I was taking you over to the Cullens." I was slightly confused if we were going over to the Cullen's why were we walking further away from the road and closer to the river.

"But the road is that way." I said pointing back to the farm. She smiled mischievously.

"I didn't bring a car." She said shrugging. I saw the river and then put together two and two.

"No… call me old fashioned but I prefer to not be thrown across the river by a girl."

"Hurt your pride too much?"

"Yes, actually." She looked me in the eye and took a step closer, then another then another. We were mere inches away. I had tasted her lips before, it was intoxicating, her soft but hard lips. She kissed me passionately and wrapped her cold arms around me. I followed her lead doing the same. In a moment I felt air move and my feet off the ground but I was too enveloped in the kiss when I finally opened my eyes I realized what had happened. We were on the other side of the river, I had barely noticed. In my defense I was definitely predisposed. I felt kind of cheated and used but at the same time I enjoyed every second of it. I wanted to say something I wanted to point something out, but I thought I'd go with a different approach.

"You're already using kissing to control me?" She pouted at me annihilating any resolve I might have had. I couldn't resist her. She pulled me along behind her I followed but with some lack of enthusiasm.

We made our way to the house from the woods and in the distance I saw the outlining of someone. As we walked closer I recognized her as the girl I met the yesterday at the Cullens. She turned to face us as we got closer.

"Hi, Mike, is it?" I nodded looking at her. She was native American like Embry and Jacob… and held a slight semblance to Jacob.

"Tanya, is it okay if we talk? Just the two of us?" She nodded walking past us to the house at a human speed. She smiled standing next to me.

"Are you related to Jacob by chance? I don't know why… you kind of remind me of him." she smiled pushing back her long dark hair.

"Yes… he's my baby brother." She said. The way she said it was ironic.

"So why did you bring that annoying Oaf?" She wore a slightly offended look but a smile returned to her face.

"Paul is a little rough around the edges, but he's really caring and loving… he's my Fiancé." I was slightly awkward but seeing that she was the only here that couldn't physically tear me limb from limb I didn't let it get to me.

"I wanted to talk to you about living with this super natural people." I laughed slightly.

"You want to talk to me about being human's living among those who aren't?" she seemed slightly offended by that remark.

"They're human! Paul has a heart, and he cares about me… I love him."

"I'm not saying they're not capable of love… they just aren't us anymore… Carlisle told me that yesterday… They are literally a different species." She didn't like that one bit.

"I'm sorry if I offended you… this is just so much to take in. All of this… it's surreal. Two days ago I went to the movies to see a vampire, not across the river." She nodded.

"It's hard for me… it accept… the woman I like… well she happens to be hundred or so years older than me, maybe older… I mean how do I ask that? More than that she wants to suck the blood right out of me. How do I cope with that. I mean… I just don't get it… how can I fall for someone like that… how is it possible? I don't get it. I still like her but… I'm scared… but not of her… and I should be…" I stopped and looked at Rachel. She smiled ever so slightly.

"It's interesting… I felt the same way around Paul… he was the most volatile of the wolves and yet, I couldn't be away from him. I knew he'd never hurt intentionally… and even if he might hurt me like Sam hurt Emily… it was worth the risk to me… He was worth the risk." I was envious of her… she had it all figured out, at least in her mind.

"He's learned to control his temper much better than when I first met him… he's got such a big heart it's just hard for him to show his emotions… he really cares." I snorted and laughed.

"Yeah he's all heart." I said before looking at her… she was frowning. She didn't have a defense for it, but I shouldn't bring it up. She was trying to help me out. I sighed. I had already apologized but I should probably apologize again but I didn't.

"How did you even become friends with the Cullens anyway?" she asked trying to change the subject, I was more than happy for the subject change. I heard loud footsteps and turned to see Paul had come up behind us. He slowly wrapped his arms around Rachel's stomach placing soft kisses on her neck. It was a softness I would have never believed he could show.

"I came out to tell you Ness is about to have the baby, please come in and meet your niece." He said. Rachel gave him a scolding expression.

"You're more than welcome to come also." I smirked.

"No thanks, I'd just get in the way… I don't belong there… I'll just stay here."

_(half hour later)_

"Hey man… She was born… her name's Layla. She's 6lbs seven ounces." I turned back to him and gave him a look.

"Why are you out here then… shouldn't you be in there with you're happy family?" He laughed quietly.

"They're afraid I'm going to imprint on their little princess."

"Wait a second… Imprint…. Isn't that." I covered my mouth in disgust.

"That'd just be wrong!" He laughed.

"Don't say that too loud… Ness is only five years old." I coughed and looked back at him incredulously.

"Did I hear you right? She's only 5 years old?" Embry laughed and smiled. He sighed slowly.

"I suppose it's about that time." He said shoving his hands in to his pockets and shrugging his shoulders

"What do you mean?" I asked not quite understanding.

"Time to meet my niece."

We made our way in to the house. The whole place was pretty crowded around one central area. I simply assumed it was around the kid. I never found kids nearly as cute and cuddly as everyone else did. Personally I had more of an affinity to puppies then babies, and I thought they looked cuter too. I made my way over to a chair and sat down away from the crowd. Embry moved over to my side.

"What's the problem Mike?"

"I don't know I don't belong here fighting over the attention of these people… they should spend time with their new family member, I'll just leave now… make it easier on everyone." I started to stand up but their attention quickly turned to me. I'd forgotten they could easily hear me over everything else. I swore to myself silently. I saw Ness holding a little girl, She was angelic, but had the skin tone of Jacob. She smiled a big knowing smile, something I was decidedly uncomfortable with coming from a newborn. I saw the color fade from Jacob's face as he stared back at Embry I didn't understand. His face was blank as if he was seeing for the first time. He was staring at little Layla with a blank stare that made no sense at all. It was as if nothing else truly mattered in this world outside of this little girl that Ness was now holding defensively… I didn't understand Embry would never hurt her.

Jacob took a step forward angrily, his body was rippling. I didn't understand what was going on at first, but as soon as Jacob moved Jasper and Emmett were holding his shoulders.

"You…. You! You imprinted on my girl!"

"I'm sorry I just looked in to her eyes and it was as if the whole world stopped spinning!" Edward looked at Embry, then started to laugh bent over as if gasping for air. Embry's face faltered and he began to laugh as well.

"You were faking it?" Embry nodded laughing.

"I figured you deserved to experience it too." Emmett had let go of Jacob to start laughing which gave him the opportunity to lunge at Embry. Embry ducked catching his body and tossing him over his shoulder.

Ness approached me as Jacob and Embry wrestled in the background.

"Would you like to hold Layla?" she said with a big smile.

"Well I couldn't I mean… Well… I've… well… I've never held an infant before." She was beaming with pride.

"Layla is a good baby to start with, she's practically indestructible." Ness said handing her to me. I took her bumbling a little bit then got to supporting her.

"Mike you know every muscle in your upper body is tense right?" Tanya laughed. Her cold hands touched my shoulders causing me to relax slowly. I looked down at this girl in my arms. She smiled looking up at me. She smiled and reached for me and I smiled. Her skin touched mine and it was just slightly warmer than mine. I felt a force pushing my head up I looked down in amazement. It was her hand… she had shot something out of it.

**Oh Little Layla has a power! I guess we'll find out later what that power is… how it manifest… because of life events I'm going to add another character to the story still working out how and what will happen but I think it'll be a prequel story… :-D it's going to be amazing! Well I'm hyper right now so I finished out the chapter, don't know what I'm writing next… please leave reviews it makes the world go round and 2 reviews a chapter kind of sucks (thank you, you 2) knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills, and high fives**


	21. Simple and Clean, Deuce

**Disclaimer: Hey yo, whatsz up? Don't know… but still not Stephenie Meyer.**

**Disclaimer Deuce: I'm not dead… just finals week… so about the same thing….**

**Embry's POV**

It's been four months since Layla has been born. She was growing fast. Her power we had learned quickly was astonishing. Unlike her mother she speaked often, she did hold a large amount of curiosity. She learned quickly, maybe even faster than her mother, and if possible she seemed even more agile and good on her fee then Ness when she was a kid. She had a power we didn't quite understand yet but to the best of our knowledge she took powers and magnified them by twice as much on contact with someone with special powers, We weren't sure until she was ready for nap time and Jasper grabbed her to bring her to bed and in a moment all of us that could fall asleep, including her mother were out on the ground, the Vampires definitely looked drowsy none the less. She'd become the center of attention, leaving Ness no longer the spectacle. Somehow I thought she missed it, but the more and more I saw it, she didn't, she wasn't alone anymore… the only of her kind, she had Jacob, and as weird and wrong as it felt, I was happy for them, jealous of them, and proud of them.

Mike and Tanya was a completely different story, it wasn't simple anymore. Mike had an underlying fear… Not of her, no he could do much worse. It seemed as though she'd never break him. I actually feel safer with a vampire for a girlfriend than a normal girl, it sounds crazy but like Jasper told me, Vampires don't change much… If Tanya has very strong feelings for Mike they're not going anywhere… And I know the pain he's been through… I have too.

For months now they're having the same trouble. She vows to stay with him forever, but he know eventually it will end and he doesn't want her to be hurt, but doesn't want her to leave either. She offers to change him herself but he says no. It's weird, unlike Bella he doesn't want to be a Vampire. He told me once why, he said 'I don't think it's because I love Tanya any less than Bella loves Edward, but I love my family more than Bella loved hers.' He can't bring himself to chose a life away from his family. His connection to his younger brother is astonishingly strong, even for siblings Jasper had told me multiple times he'd take a punch for his brother without a second thought, probably even a bullet. Edward confirmed it. I could tell as well whenever he talked about his younger brother he beamed with pride. He had considered becoming a Vampire until Rosalie made it clear that he'd watch his younger brother grow old and die and still be young. That sentence, that one scenario had shaken him to the core, and he hadn't faltered since that idea. He couldn't bare the idea of seeing his younger brother like that… much less the fact he'd never see his younger brother again.

Point blank he had too much to live for to die. I guess that's a cruel way to put it, but his deep connection to his family was stronger than a life he might never get to see them again. Tanya and Mike were actually on a walk right now, but where I don't know, they could be anywhere by now.

Life was actually starting to pull itself back together, but not so much that I was happy, just so much that I could see straight. Though I missed D, I'd been able to control myself. I still felt betrayed beyond reason. I knew it was her decision, deep down I knew it, but it couldn't stop the searing pain I felt running through me like I was cheated. And though that pain had refilled my life I really felt she was gone. It was like every connection I had to her was severed… I knew I could never see her again. It hurt so much more knowing there was no hope, nothing left… but now I didn't miss her the way I missed Leah. In the back of my mind it felt like D was becoming more like a dream every day. It all seemed so unlikely, finding her and seeing her, I knew her so well and she knew me and yet we knew nothing about each other.

"I must admit that I feel like a monster." I said out loud. Skillet had it right. I smiled looking down at the lake I was at my place again… maybe I'd go to the Quarry to swim, maybe cliff diving… it was the only place I knew in the area that I could cliff dive, but it wasn't like in La Push, wasn't as high, wasn't an ocean… it would have to do. I'll go there in a couple days, nothing helps me think straight better than flying through the air. That feeling of being alive was something I sorely lacked in my life right now. I needed something to happen, I didn't know what it needed to be but something had to happen. I looked in to the distance and the clear skies faded to gray in the distance.

It wasn't that I didn't appreciate the calmness but calm gave me too much time to think of what I missed, people I missed, people I wanted to spend my life with that I couldn't. At least I wouldn't need to fool myself that I'd ever see D again. She made her choice, and half a country made sure we'd never see each other again. I have come to a point where I'm not happy or content, but could simply smile once and a while. I guess it'd have to be enough. It didn't feel like my life was going better but I couldn't fool myself in to believing it hadn't. It was logical, I couldn't get any worse… it's how I knew my life would get better… it had to, eventually. Over these four months I'd spent much time with Mike, trying to get him comfortable around us… fighting with him, learning from him how to fight, teaching him how to shoot a gun. We'd played with swords for hours, many hours ago I told him to swing at me as hard and fast as he could, depending solely on my ability to move quicker than him, he'd cut my clothing once, that's how close he got. After that he'd become careful and hadn't gotten close to hitting me again.

"Hey Embry, it's time to eat, come in dear." Esme called. It's strange I should be happy that I can share who I am with my new friend but it feels as cold and dark as I felt before this time. I watched the clouds on the horizon, maybe something would come like a storm and stir something up, not necessarily bad… I always did love the rain.

**Destiny's POV**

I was ecstatic that soon I would be married to this amazing man. Soon Fate and I would say our vows and be wed. He even proposed while I was pregnant. He was so caring and loving, he insisted on driving everywhere for me now because of my pregnancy, I was five months pregnant. He understood completely when I decided to keep the baby. I admired him and all he stood for, but in the back of my mind nagging like a cough I never could quite get rid of was the memories of Embry. I knew I loved him and I hated how we parted ways but this would just be easier, Embry was in a whole other league of his own. Aside from his superhuman side he also lived across the country, I basically met him online, and no one knew him… it was just more difficult with him. Everything was Simple and Clean right now. I was sorry how I treated Embry… but he'd find someone, and he deserved to, he was a great man. Still is I'd assume. I looked down at the engagement ring. It was beautiful and I was looking forward to spending the rest of my life with Fate. I looked at Fate as he smiled returning the look. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something I turned and saw a man on his knees hunched over on the road.

"Fate look out!" The car swerved and squealed narrowly avoiding him then spinning out and stopping. I watched in the rearview mirror as the figure slowly stood up with his upper body still bent then he straightened out and turned to look straight at us, with an evil smile, and glowing red eyes.

"Fate, drive!" I yelled realizing who it was.

"What? Why? He might be hurt!" he said arguing.

"Just drive, before he-" I was yelling but was interrupted by the sound of the persons foot landing on the hood of my car, then stepping through it, until his foot was on the ground. His left foot he planted on the hood that wasn't a gaping hole from his first foot. He leaned his perfect face on his knuckles with a gleaming white smile.

"A hit and run? Oh that won't do dear… weren't you even going to check if I was okay?"

"Xavier." I said unable to choke any other words out. He stepped back jumping on to the edge of the vehicle near the headlights and with a flourish he bowed. Then he laughed light.

"You chose this shmuck over Embry? Wrong choice D, wrong choice." Fate started to say something in his defense but I elbowed him to stop him. Fate noticed and laughed again.

"I mean just look at him, obviously Embry's the better catch, and what does this guy have that Embry doesn't? He was easier to bag? Hmm well I guess if you needed a rebound guy this guy is as good as any." He shrugged. It wasn't like that, I loved Fate.

"But like I said, unfortunately you picked wrong, now I was hoping for a good fight with Embry at finding you, but since you're not worth protecting anymore I guess I'll just have a nice meal before I find him."

"Embry will find you. He'll kill you for killing me, He won't rest until he does." I lied through my teeth. Embry was gone and he'd never come back.

"Oh, I believe he would… if he knew you were still alive… or dead… but you terminated contact with him, I'm almost sure of it… Besides, I want to fight him again. I suppose he purged himself of his only weakness… this is a good thing D, don't worry, your death will give him strength." He smiled before stepping forward and plunging his fingers in to the windshield tossing it to the side.

**Like I've said… now the fun begins. I didn't expect to finish this since it's finals week but I figured if I get it out of the way it won't be nagging me, sorry that it's short but I just didn't know what else to add… Yes, Xavier is alive… OH MAN OH MAN! Remember, reviews make the world go round. So leave them, rolls of twenty dollar bills, and knucks. More twists to come, tune in next week to What Fate took from Embry!**


	22. Welcome to Minnesota

**Disclaimer: Turn around, bright eyes! Every now and then I fall in love! how does this apply to Stephenie meyer and me not being her? Haven't figured that out yet**

**Disclaimer Deuce: now we're in to the exciting shit**

**Destiny's POV:**

I was in fear as he licked his lips reaching for me after having thrown the glass to the side. His fingers slowly inched closer. His breath hitched for a moment then he pulled himself back. He eyed us with astonishment, which soon turned to glee.

"The baby isn't this Shmuck's is it?" He said with an evil smile spreading across his face.

"It's Embry's isn't it!" he said giggling in joy. I didn't understand at all. He looked so happy, but why, why would the fact that it's Embry's baby change anything?

"Y…ye..yes… The baby is Embry's." I answered tentatively. His joy was a relief, but still unsettling. I didn't understand why it was a joy. _If he's smiling and giggling he might be less likely to suck my blood dry._

"Does he know that? That poor Shmuck that that put the ring on your finger?" I started to figure it out now. It was all about the problems it would make in my life. If it was Fate's it wouldn't be a big deal but since it was my ex's, and not just anyone but Embry there was something.

"I'm not a Shmuck." I had to keep myself from smiling. Among all of this the idea that my fiancé was arguing he isn't a Shmuck was funny.

"And yes, I knew it was his." I turned to him angrily.

"IT?" I said my temper flaring, emotionally I was completely unstable and it shouldn't have set me off but I couldn't help it.

"You knew already? Come on! Where's the fun in that… you really are a Shmuck you know that right?"

"I'm sorry hun, I didn't mean it like that!" Xavier bounced up and down on my car like a little kid.

"Well this is much more fun than killing you without a fight… I suppose I could just have a little taste of your boytoy here but… if I do where will the fun in that? Embry and this shmuck need to fight over you… that should be interesting… Well run off to Embry… and let my games begin." He said turning away and disappearing in to the night.

"We need to run D, we gotta get out of here." I shook my head. He could find us wherever we went.

"No… I need you to run and hide… I need to find Embry."

_The next day._

I had driven all day and in to the next and now I was just in to the limits of Minnesota. I feared I wouldn't be fast enough. I couldn't fly because I was already five months pregnant. I tried to stay calm but all the while I knew I didn't have a clue where I was going. I knew he lived in Central Minnesota in St. Cloud but more than that I didn't know anything. I saw the moon rising and I began to panic. I didn't know his address or even his Cell phone number. I forced myself to be calm if by nothing else by sheer force of will I didn't want anything to happen to the baby. I didn't have a clue which exit to take I kept putting it off and took the last exit out to St. Cloud. I thought I saw someone running near my car. I looked over immediately thinking it was Xavier. My heart almost stopped but soon by the light of the moon I realized it wasn't Xavier. I pulled over to the side of the road and the small almost pixie like Vampire sat down in my car. She held on to none of the warmth and happy energy she exuded the last time we met.

"Why have you come here… you just want to hurt Embry again?" she said staring forward as I started driving again.

"No! I'm not… I need protection… I need…" I said before bursting in to tears. The little Vampire reached across and grabbed the steering wheel taking control of it. I wasn't stable I was just hunted down by a vampire I thought was long since dead. A small smile crept to the edge of her lips.

"It's Embry's child isn't it?" She said knowingly. I nodded. I don't know why she made me feel calm, but maybe it was the fact that she was a vampire as well. I felt more safe… but I wouldn't feel truly safe until I saw Embry.

"I need to see Embry… Xavier is back." Her unflappable nature disappeared but only for an instant before it was back. She returned her face to the composed face she had before I told her the news of Embry's child.

"I'll drive." She said in an authoritative tone. I hadn't let anyone drive besides my family and Fate but it didn't seem like it was up for discussion. We switched spots and she calmly drove. She made a couple turns and we were already at a farm house.

"How did you find me? How did you know I'd be there?" I asked honestly as we stepped out of the car. She smiled and shrugged.

"I can see the future…. I'll be right back." She said smiling before disappearing. _She can do what?_ I didn't understand how I was supposed to respond to that. She returned with a slightly disapproving look on her face.

"Embry isn't here right now, he's at the quarry… cliff diving." That didn't make sense at all to me. I gave her a confused look.

"It's late, is the Quarry even open?" She shook her head.

"No… it's not, but that won't stop him, in fact he can't go cliff diving during the day, it's generally frowned upon to jump from that high but it's not as high as he used to back in La Push." I was worried for his health. I rubbed my stomach softly.

"Yeah… we're going to see daddy now… you're going to meet him." I climbed in to her car and she drove, but she looked uncomfortable. She was driving so fast, but it was all smooth without a single bump. We took a couple turns then we stopped facing a wooded area, in a parking lot.

"This isn't the Entrance is it?" Alice shook her head.

"No it isn't… but there are security cameras by the entrance." I made my way out of the car slowly and she was at my side.

"I'll carry you." She said emotionlessly.

"I couldn't that's-" Before I could protest further she softly scooped me up in her arms my back well supported by her right hand and my legs supported by her left. She didn't hold me against her but out, away from her body. I didn't understand until I felt the air against my face and looked.

"Close your eyes… you might get sick." I didn't understand at first until a small wave of wooziness hit me. I closed my eyes soon after and in less than a minute the air stopped flying past me. I slowly opened my eyes looking out over a lake and how it connected to a large rock. I blinked a couple times and in the distance saw a silhouette standing on the top of the rock. He stepped back and disappeared in to the trees. He then emerged jumping through the air and through the light of the moon I could see him diving. After he came back up I think he turned to us but I couldn't tell the body started to get closer and closer and I started to make out his features. As he got closer every muscle, accented by the water running down his body, he wore a black swimsuit with a red design on the right leg. The moment I looked at his face I regretted I did. It was narrowed, it was angry. He showed no signs of compassion.

"What do you want?" He said harshly before running his hand through his hair drying off slightly.

"I need your protection Embry." He snorted then smirked.

"What, the guy you fell in love with wasn't everything perfect and great that I wasn't?" He said sneering. I shook my head quickly Tears starting to form in my eyes.

"No… Xavier is still alive." His resolve faltered for a moment. Then he composed himself.

"Alice, go tell the others." She nodded.

"I'll leave my keys with you." She said tossing them to Embry before disappearing. His attention turned back to me.

"I want to say you picked the wrong guy… and that this is your problem now… but you know me better than that." Even telling me he would help me he showed no signs of care for me, just enough to prevent me from getting murdered.

"I can see you've gotten busy with that annoying fuck Fate." Realization dawned on me immediately, he had no idea it was his.

"I haven't slept with Fate… this child… is… yours." That news broke him out of state for a moment but he resumed his anger with new spirit. I was astonished, I couldn't believe he'd have me abort the child, I never would I couldn't believe he'd even think that.

"I have a child, and you never thought to tell me? You don't think that's worth knowing? I would really like to know my own child!" the way he said it. He wasn't angry that there was a child… I could have sworn he wanted this child, wanted the child in his life.

"You mean you wouldn't have wanted me to have an abortion?"

"That's my son or daughter there… I'll protect him or her from anything… Why the hell would I want you to abort our child!" They way he said our had my response caught in my throat. I started to cry, damn hormones, I never used to cry and now every little thing could make me start tearing up. His face immediately softened seeing me cry. Something occurred to him after a couple seconds.

"You said you were on the pill." I nodded tears still in my eyes. His expression was hardening, but it wasn't the same… It forced somehow.

"I was… but it doesn't always work." I tried not to be distracted by his body but it was harder and harder. He wasn't so harsh and had moved closer to me. I could smell him and I longed for that scent again. I took another step towards him but he created a larger distance from me.

"So… if Xavier never came back… You would have raised our child… You weren't going to tell me about my child?" He said anger returning. I wanted to tell him I would have told him. I wanted to tell him I would have visited… but that wasn't something I had decided about yet.

"I… don't know…" I answered honestly. Embry turned away from me and I immediately wanted that to change.

"And when his grandchildren turned in to wolves… what would you do? No one would understand them… they could kill people easily… what would you do when that happened?"

"His.. son… will..will.. become…"

"Yes… A monster like me… It's a possibility anyway."

"You're not a monster…" she mumbled quietly, but plenty loud enough for me to hear her. I laughed.

"Yes I am… and you know it. It's why you fear me." I smiled weakly at him. His features began to soften again but he caught himself.

"So you were planning on raising my Bastard child, with that…" He clutched at words to get it right.

"Life ruining, home wrecking, cocky ass, little ass wipe, Fate!?!" he said beyond comprehension.

"That fuck is supposed to father MY child!?!" he said before curling his hand in to a fist and planting it in to a tree. His knuckles broke the hallow old tree. He left his hand there for a moment. He slowly released it pulling it out. He ignored the pain he must be in because I saw bark and wood caught in his knuckles and they were bright right from blood.

"Embry let me look at it." I said reaching for his hand. He pulled it away.

"I don't believe you… You would raise my flesh, my child, and never tell me." I didn't understand at first. But it was odd, even though he was so mad he never once even raised his hand to threaten hitting me. He wouldn't hurt me, everything I'd ever known about him told me he couldn't. That made hurting him that much worse. I took a step forward now just worried about his disapproval. He stepped back and then scooped me up in his arms. He turned without a word. He held me like Alice did, away from his body, I felt the cold wind of night and his slightly wet hands on my back. I tried to huddle closer to Embry but he growled low and extended his arms even farther away.

We finally made it to the car and Embry quickly released me. He set me down but before he could leave I caught a hold of his hand and looked at it. He pulled away but I held on. He grunted but I turned over his hand. It was bruised and had dried blood on it. I pulled a sliver out of his knuckle and rubbed it softly.

"I'm a nurse you know." He shrugged and released his grip. He opened the door to the car and stepped in and I followed. He drove in silence. Going back a different way then I came. I think I saw something in the distance as Embry tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

**Embry's POV**

My hand did hurt but her nice warm smooth fingers on it felt great before. _Focus, she's taken._ I looked in to the distance and saw Silhouettes of two people in the distance standing on the road. Only Vampires did that, stared down cars. As my lights flashed up on the I could make out the features of Leah's boyfriend. Then my eyes were drawn to the woman next to him… Leah was pregnant.

**Ohhh twist!!! Yeah by the time I'm done you'll need a chiropractor to fix you from all my twists! Please leave reviews, I hope you liked the chapter, please comments, questions, ideas, knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills, in the review section.**


	23. Foreboding Chapter title

**Disclaimer: Here I go again on my own… going down the road I've ever known… like a drifter I was born to walk alone… and I've made up my mind… I ain't Stephenie Meyer any time… **

**Disclaimer Deuce: "Wise men wander while strong men die"**

**Embry's POV**

I skidded the car to a stop immediately regretting doing because D was pregnant. There standing clear were they. I unbuckled my seat belt then turned back to D remembering she was in the car.

"Stay in the car… you don't want to be a part of this… please please stay in the car." I climbed out and closed the door behind me… it had started to drizzle. It was one of the oddities about me I suppose, I loved the rain. I clenched my fist as anger started to seep in. I couldn't even begin to start why I was mad. The very sight of her was enough to anger me, now that she had his spawn, this poison growing inside her. He had desecrated my first love. I bated my anger for a while closing my eyes and feeling the rain start to pound on me. I felt cold drips running down my face pulling my hair down my forehead. It was comforting. I released me grip on my hand because he was beating in pain. My body was raring to go on all cylinders to kill this fucking who'd done this.

"We need your help." He said. I gave a primal roar as I felt my animal side taking over. I started stepping towards them. I forced myself to loosen my fists.

"Fuck you." I growled at him as I continued walking towards him.

"Get the fuck off my road before I fucking mess you up, and Leah you should leave too." Even though I was betrayed and hurt I couldn't do it, I couldn't call her any worse… I wanted to call her a bitch, a slut, a whore, but I couldn't do it. I suppose D being pregnant in my car didn't make my situation any better. Logically speaking I couldn't blame her, emotionally she was had done me the worst pain I could imagine. Leah looked at me as if to give an apologetic look.

"Embry she needs Carlisle's help with the birth, obviously she can't be turned like Bella." I looked at him astonished that he'd even talk to me.

"Hey fuckass, she can talk for herself, or better yet, go hop in to a furnace." My attention turned to Leah, looking at her even though it was hard for me. It was hard to see her in this state. The rain had turned in to a heavy downpour. I refused to wipe my eyes clean as I stared deep in to Leah's eyes, my vision was more than slightly blurry.

"Embry… I need Carlisle's help." I nodded slowly, sure I was angry but I couldn't deny her the medical attention she needed. She smiled that same smile she used to save for only me, it made me happy for a moment, then sick to my stomach. She used that smile, it wasn't mine anymore. The anger seeped back in to my eyes.

"I'm glad you're so happy with your little spawn in you, your replacement for me." I said saying the words finally I'd wanted to say since the first day they started dating. I felt like the weight holding my words back had now lifted.

"Embry, I'm over you… I love Rick and I'm sorry you got hurt but I love him." I laughed trying to act like each word wasn't a dagger in to my heart.

"And now your dating someone who gives you a hicky and you die." She smirked at my comment.

"I told you Embry, I'm over you."

"Over me huh? When did that happen? Because I'm pretty sure you started dating this fuckass five days after breaking up with me. When did this magical time where you missed me, where you needed me and I wasn't there… where you just wanted to be held by someone who knew everything about you. When did this happen? When did you sit up with tears in your eyes looking out the window wishing on the first star for it all to be a nightmare? It didn't, you never got over me because you simply replaced me as fast as possible, there was no time, you never felt the pain I've felt." I heard a slight laugh from Rick and turned my head to him immediately.

"Back the fuck off right now or I will phase and kill you and I won't warn you again you fuckass." I said daring him to say another word. He stopped laughing and turned away.

"You think I've never gone through what you've gone through? What about with Sam?" I shook my head.

"It's different when Fate literally makes him love someone else, you just stopped caring about me." words caught in her throat, it was the usual problem, she didn't confirm it she didn't deny it. It always meant to me that I was right. I knew she didn't have the right thing to say, and sometimes shut down when things got hard but this pissed me off. I heard the door click open to my car and I turned back before even looking.

"D, get back in the car!" I yelled with left over anger from Leah.

"Is this that whore Leah, your ex?"

"Is that the new bitch?" Leah asked angrily in response to D. D pressed forward.

"D back up now!" I felt a gust of wind and I could smell D, I turned immediately running for her and cutting off Rick, My fist connected with the side of his face, but he was nearly unfazed by my strike he turned to me mouth open reaching for D, I stepped in to the way pushing D down. I felt Rick's Teeth sink in to my chest. I felt cold first, cold… like I hadn't felt in years… then a burning fire ripping through my body.

**Leah's POV**

"Is that the new bitch?" I asked clenching my fist. That bitch even stepped forward again. I saw something change in Embry's eyes before he turned and ran. I didn't understand until my boyfriend wasn't at my side. My eyes widened in fear and I was running after him, unfortunately I didn't have the reflexes Rick or Embry had, much less the fact I was pregnant. Embry connected with a fist to Rick's jaw slowing him down, barely. Before moving between Rick and his girlfriend. I saw Rick dig his teeth in to Embry's chest. _No! _I screamed internally. I moved and saw Embry's eyes open completely and his body lock up before falling to the ground. Rick stepped past and sunk his teeth in to Embry's girlfriend. I ran to her first only because she was pregnant. I ran my knee in to his ribs as hard as I could forcing him to let go of her, he looked up at me with bloodlust.

"Rick! LEAVE!" I yelled he closed his eyes and turned and ran away. I turned back to Embry immediately His body was shaking, it was kind of like a seizure. His throat had locked up I saw foam starting to form in his mouth and smelled he lost control of his bladder. He'd lost control of his bodily functions. I grabbed his phone out of his pocket dialing Alice being the first person in the phone.

"Alice, come down the road towards St. Cloud, Embry was bit by a vampire… come here quick, his girlfriend was bit also."

"I'm on my way." She said hanging up the phone. I reached under Embry and gathered him up in my arms and by the time I'd turned around Alice was standing there.

"Hand him to me I'll get him back, call Carlisle he needs to come home right now." I nodded.

"Edward will come pick up D as soon as he reads my mind." I nodded, and Alice disappeared behind me. She was worried, I tried to hide my worry say everything would be alright but I didn't even know if I believed it. I started towards the car but realized Embry probably didn't leave the keys in the car. Edward appeared with keys in hand and tossed them to me, then gently lifted the D who was nearing a seizing state herself. I stepped in to the car and followed Edward back down the road to the farm. I ran in to the house after Edward.

"Edward, plus suck the poison out of her blood… you'll be strong enough to stop, right now we need to figure out how to get it out of Embry's blood."

"Who did this?" Jasper burst in with rage in his eyes.

"Why can't you just suck the rest of the venom out like with his girlfriend?" I asked almost getting girlfriend caught in my throat.

"Because I'm worried that we might leave Venom behind and it's fatal." He looked around the room till his eyes fell to Renesmee holding Layla. Ness immediately caught his thought and handed Layla to Jacob who had now gotten even closer. Ness looked up at Carlisle for affirmation who just nodded. she gently lowered her lips to his chest where there was the now sizzling marks were. She starts pulling with her whole body, unused to sucking out of a human, every time she'd spit it out, the idea of sucking one of her closest friends blood sickened her, least that's what I thought. After a couple minutes she stood straight up shaking out her head and hair for a moment then smiled down at Embry who had just started to weakly open his eyes. Ness smiled looked down at him rubbing the area with the bite holes.

"Embry… you taste horrible." He coughed and winced as pain shot through his entire expression. I stepped forward to him immediately he went back to keeping his eyes closed his body was literally shuddering in pain. Edward appeared at my side. I turned back only for a moment to notice that Embry's girlfriend had become stable… but it looked like it wasn't getting much better for Embry.

"Oh by the way, they haven't dated for five months now. She chose the other guy… and from what I've heard in people's minds, it was definitely the wrong choice… Xavier came back… so she ran to Embry for protection… and from what I've heard the kid is his anyway but she wasn't going to tell him." It was all so much to take in at once. It wasn't like I imagined at all. I still didn't catch one thing though.

"Wait… who is Xavier." Edward snorted next to me crossing his arms.

"Apparently a vampire we need to kill more than five times." He said before moving to Carlisle's side.

"We should get a bed for both Embry and Destiny." Edward said. Carlisle nodded.

"Who the fuck did this!" Jasper said with the same rage as before. We all stepped away from him. At that moment my boyfriend stepped through the door. _Bad timing!_ I nearly yelled outloud. Jasper's eyes turned to him and in a moment I saw the same bloodlust I first saw.

"YOU!" He yelled before leaping across the room at my boyfriend. Jasper's hands curled around my boyfriends collar then tackled him through the window behind him. I ran out of the door and watched as Jasper threw him to the ground and climbed on top of him raining punching down on his face, right, left, right, right, left, right, left, and left showing no signs of letting up. Jasper grabbed his collar again and lifted him above his head and planted a punch to his chest that could have collapsed his ribs, and sent him flying across the yard.

"Come on you bastard, fight back!" He started to get back up but in that moment Jasper was at him again he just managed to get to his feet and Jasper threw kneed him in the chest doubling him over again. Jasper connected with an elbow to the nose before jumping through the air and spinning in to a round kick right behind his right ear putting him down again. I hadn't noticed it but Alice was by my side.

"He won't kill him… so I guess we don't need to stop him." I didn't say anything… a sick side of me kind of felt like he deserved it. I would never admit it but his lack of restraint had really started to piss me off. Jasper looked down at him and walked over him looking down at him I could only imagine the disgust in his eyes. My boyfriend tried to get up to his elbows but was met with a hard palm strike to the forehead and fell back to the ground.

"You're not welcome here… ever…" Jasper growled lifting him by his shirt, his arms dragging on the ground. ran and tossed him across the yard and off the Cullen land. He turned back to me and appeared at my side his rage had subsided but was still smoldering, even in his eyes.

"If you want to leave, your more than welcome to, you didn't nearly kill Embry… you can walk away." He looked down at my stomach then back in to my eyes with that same intensity.

"But if you want our help you better make sure he never comes back, because next time I will kill him." I would take care of that later, there was no way he'd come right now. I went to Embry's side I stood next to him I wanted to touch him but didn't want to disturb him, he still hadn't opened his eyes but as I got closer he opened them looking at me. Edward smirked next to me.

"He could smell you… that's why he opened his eyes." Edward said out loud. Embry's lips curled slightly up in to a very weak smile. I looked at Edward, and even though he and Embry never connected well I could see in his eyes he was his brother. Embry by now had closed his eyes again. I wanted to touch him, to hold his hand. I didn't want to send the wrong message, I didn't want to do the wrong thing. In the back of my mind lay a question. It was a question everyone had but no one wanted to ask, too afraid of the answer, but I was more afraid of not knowing. I forced the question out of my throat knowing everyone wanted to know the answer.

"Carlisle… Is he going to make it?" at that moment the otherwise busy room silenced and all attention turned to Carlisle.

"I don't know."

**Oh another twist! Sorry if you need to go to the chiropractor. It would have been nice to spread these out a bit more but I couldn't. Thanks for reading, and thank you to the reviewers coming back after being gone for some chapters, thanks to the reviewers who've been here all along, and thank you to new reviewers. Remember, high fives, knucks, reviews, and rolls of twenty dollar bills. Catch you on the flip side.**


	24. I disappear

**Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer, you know why? Because I was bestowed the rank of Grand Moff for my Birthday, I highly doubt Stephenie Meyer was Bestowed the rank: "Grand Moff Meyer"**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Do you bury me when I'm gone? Do you teach me while I'm here? Cause just as soon as I belong… it's time I disappear.**

**Jasper's POV:**

Carlisle had just pulled me outside as he had each of the kids, I had noticed. I didn't know what he was going to say but it was definitely something he didn't want Embry to hear. He didn't look comfortable. He waited to tell me last and by the obvious discomfort on his face I could tell it wasn't good. Just yesterday this all started. Before yesterday everything was balancing out, It seemed like Layla was just beginning to be getting used to everything and then D came back, Embry was bit, and everything went to hell. I wanted to blame her but I couldn't. Embry jumped in the way, and partially I hated myself for ever being that blood thirsty as a vampire, but it wasn't I who jumped Embry… sinking my teeth in to his flesh, causing his bodily functions to fuck up, covering himself in his own piss. It wasn't me. Carlisle cleared his throat pulling my attention back to him.

"It's about Embry's condition… I don't know how to say this correctly" He said trying to keep me calm. I just wanted to know the truth the un sugarcoated truth.

"Just give me the news…" I said finally looking him in the eye. He nodded slowly before starting.

"His condition looks bad… If nothing changes he'll slowly and painfully die. Honestly I give him maybe three days at top if nothing changes."

"We need to try something!" I said angrily

"We will Jasper… we need to. If we give up on him… he'll probably give up on himself." I nodded. I would never give up on Embry, and neither would my family. Even though he had only been awake a couple hours during the day both today and yesterday I had to hold on to hope just as everyone else did. We had personally paid for Billy and Sue to be flown out, as his family and they were on their way now. Jacob would pick them up. At first he didn't want to leave Embry's side but we reassured him we'd take care and it'd make Billy more comfortable if he wasn't picked up by a vampire.

Emmett appeared at my side grabbing my shoulder, Pulling my slightly away from Embry. I turned my attention to him.

"What do you want Emmett?" I said short on patience. I knew why I was short on patience I was going to go hunting yesterday and I hadn't yet… I saw my eyes in reflection in his, pitch black.

"Hey… Jasper… you should go hunting… I'll wait with Embry… besides I want some time with him." I struggled for a moment before turning to Alice waiting at the door for me.

"Fine…" I said turning my back away and leaving.

**Emmett's POV**

I sat next to Embry without saying a word. I admired him in a way. But at the same time I saw him as a younger brother, a real younger brother. I always viewed Jasper and Edward as my age. But now it felt like my younger brother was dying right in front of me, and I couldn't do anything but let him know I was here. It was stupid.

If I could have moved a mountain to help him I would. I had never told him that he was a younger brother to me, figured he already knew, and I never liked talking about emotions with guys. It wasn't that I was homophobic or anything it just wasn't my style I liked our friendship how it was, if he wanted to talk about his feelings he went to Jasper, if he wanted to laugh his ass off and talk about bitches and hoes, he came to me. Back when I first said it he questioned me, tried to get me in trouble with Rose, brought it up to her… we laughed about it, we all knew she was the bitch. Course there was the rare exception such as Esme but we didn't talk about those. I was the brother that wouldn't talk about uncomfortable things. Why? Cause their uncomfortable, duh! It was just the way things were. I suppose I should tell him I loved him but that would tip him off, plus it'd be awkward as fuck. I mean what the hell is he gonna do, just lie there with his eyes closed and do nothing? Of course he would. He's not going to jump up to his feet and proclaim his love for me, that'd just be creepy as fuck.

I shook that slightly disturbing idea out of my head. I stared down at him. I wouldn't give up on him, He'd pull through it, he had to. My silent contemplation was interrupted by Edward bursting in to the room.

"Tanya isn't answering her phone." Edward said quickly. I shrugged.

"So what? Maybe she's getting her Hoochie Koo on with Mike." I said pointedly at Edward. He was of course unfazed by my remark but I enjoyed it anyway .

"I mean, Xavier is out there… and Tanya doesn't know it… I'm going to go get them." Edward said grabbing a coat. Before he could make it out the door Rose was at the door, I nodded following next to Bella.

**Mike's POV**

I didn't know where we were going exactly but Tanya had taken me to northern Minnesota for a hike through the woods. I followed behind her after she pulled me deep enough in to the woods, always looking back at me with encouraging smiles. It was hard on me and while I was overweight I did consider myself a more athletic person. We came to a clearing and she wore a large smile. I finally reached her and embraced her possibly putting too much weight on her but I didn't care I was tired. She embraced me and I enjoyed the coolness of it until she tightened. She let go of me quickly but kept me close to her.

"We're not alone…" She said Scanning the opening around her.

"Oh, very good Tanya. Very good." A voice slightly familiar said sending shivers down my spine. He was dressed in a black vest, long dark denim jeans and his black hair was thin and perfectly placed, not one hair out of place.

"I tried to warn you about the Cullens… I suppose it's only natural when you heard me you'd run to them, I suppose that would make sense."

"Mike stay back, he wants your blood." I heard a laugh, that didn't sound innocent by any measure.

"Your blood? No, no no no no. I don't want your blood! I want to protect you from these monsters."

"Don't listen to him Mike, he's trying to manipulate you." Tanya said keeping herself between the Vampire and myself.

"Your friends… they've killed me four or five times… I do lose count. But, well… It's hard to keep a good multiplier down. Ahh but where are my manors? Xavier, Multiplier extraordinaire." He bowed deeply before standing up and he broke in to three people, then five then seven. The one on the left in walked slowly around us as the right did the same. Soon we were surrounded by the same man.

"Drink your blood? Hahah… no… I want to save you from them… Let us go then, You and I, When the evening is spread out against the sky." He said quoting a poem, but it was one I didn't know. And then I knew his voice. He was the one who told me about the Cullens, gave me the book. He noticed the realization in my eyes.

"So now you DO remember who I am… good, good. The Cullens, Tanya here… they would have never told you. She'd rather use you as a simple fling, and drop you in the closest bus stop when she was done with you."

"That's not true Mike, I love you." I felt the words but at the same time I felt betrayed. What he was saying was true.

"Would you have told me?" I asked Tanya as the Vampire circled around. Her attention never faltered from Xavier.

"I wanted to tell you." She said pleadingly. But it wasn't the same thing. I shook it out of my head.

"But come now, let's start the festivities, shall we?" He said stopping moving around.

"Mike please step to the side, so we can start, I'd hate to hurt you more than necessary." He said slightly sweet. Six of him charged Tanya and she danced avoiding strike after strike and countering when possible, she was moving faster than he was. He left one of him standing still until he approached me. Xavier had forced a gap between Tanya and myself and now he was walking slowly towards me.

"I realize you don't trust me, You have no reason to, but you must come with me to learn the truths instead of all their lies." He took a step towards me and I stepped back in to a fighting stance. He laughed and stepped towards me I lunged with my back leg forcing a front kick with the ball of my foot striking before recoiling and stepping back. He looked at me confused for a second. Before stepping forward again, I responded stepping in to a side stance and lifting my leg with a front leg side kick. He caught it in the chest stumbling backwards only momentarily before he stepped forward again. I stepped behind with my back leg launching a powerful side kick right underneath his jaw knocking him backwards and to the ground.

"Damn! You kick pretty freakin' hard for a fat guy." He said with a laugh readjusting his neck.

"You don't get it Mike, Do you? You don't possess the strength to break my skin, it's useless, while it might sting a little bit like that kick you put on me, It can't possibly do any real damage. I stepped back and forth on the balls of my feet never putting my heels down leading with a round kick then turning backwards in to a mule kick before driving my palm in to his chest then jumping in to a jump front kick with a fake kicking him back in to a tree. Xavier laughed as he pushed off the tree. I heard Tanya's Cell phone go off in the background.

"I really underestimated you Mike, you move amazingly for someone your size… this is actually kind of fun." He said throwing a punch I blocked stepping backwards in to position before spinning a log kick with a straight leg across the back of his head. Knocking him back to the ground.

"Mike, use this!" Tanya called tossing a knife to me. It dropped to the ground in front of me and I picked it up looking at Xavier with it. His eyes went straight to my weapon.

"Now what do you have there?" I bounced my weight between my legs and jump spinning through the air faking with my first then connecting with the second leg as an axe kick.

"You really can jump pretty well, what's that kick called." He said laughing as he worked his way back to his feet again.

"Tornado kick." I said plainly. He was more than slightly surprised, he seemed fascinated with me. I gripped the shiv in my hand. There was nothing else, I'd thrown at him my best kicks and nothing fazed him. I stepped forward throwing a round kick he blocked before stepping forward and stabbing the shiv deep in to his stomach just under his ribs. He looked down at it then up at me.

"Ouch Mike, that actually hurt." I looked past him and the rest of him disappeared in to the body with the shiv in it. he pulled it out and then grabbed me by the shirt spinning me before putting me down and palm striking me in the stomach upward in to a tree. My head snapped back in to the tree painfully. I landed on the ground after a six foot drop. Out of the one three more appeared and returned to fighting Tanya, then the one left standing pulled me to my feet, I shook out my head trying to get the loud ringing out of my back of my head but felt blood pouring out. In a moment I was over Xavier's shoulder and I could see Tanya disappearing in to the distance.

It had been a while since I lost Tanya in the distance behind me. Xavier set me down for a moment. I couldn't tell but it might have been fifteen minutes, he came back with some napkins a moment later.

"Wipe off your blood, clean yourself up" he said handing me the napkins.

"I can't do it for you, not much for blood I'm not drinking." I wiped it up with the napkin quickly.

"Why aren't you drinking my blood now?" I said curiously.

"Would you like me to?" he said laughing.

"No…" He snorted. At my response.

"Just because I drink human blood doesn't mean I'm a monster… not like those Cullens, but you'll see soon enough, I'll show you what they've done, Hell they killed me four times already." He stood up quickly and threw me back over his shoulder.

"We gotta leave now before Tanya catches us."

**Why is Xavier helping Mike? What isn't he killing him? Will Embry be okay? Tune in next time to find out for "What Fate took from Embry!" sorry now that I've done that I can give me part. Well I finished this with a headache so you better damn review cause I put it up I hope you like it the story is going to get interesting soon, if it wasn't already. I'm thinking about how to better incorporate the pregnant ladies and Layla since they're not playing a big part right now… *shrug* but hey, remember, High fives, rolls of twenty dollar bills, reviews, comments, questions, concerns, and Ideas are all welcome. By the way, Apparently my birthday is a Canadian holiday… who knew?**


	25. 45

**Disclaimer: Show me how it ends Stephenie Meyer, show me how defenseless they really are! Satisfied and empty inside out, that's alright we'll give this another try, (Not Stephenie Meyer)**

**Disclaimer Deuce: The world is a scary place now that you've woken up the demon in me.**

**Xavier's POV**

It was a bit of work to track him down but I finally did. He wasn't hard prey to track but to also evade the Cullens while searching him out made it more difficult. He was here, and to my own surprise his eyes weren't quite as golden as the Cullens.

"Oh, look at that." I said giddily at him. This was unexpected, and welcomed. He reached out and grabbed me lifting me off the ground with without touching me.

"Ohh, and telekinetic powers! I have struck gold it appears." I said even though I couldn't move in midair.

"You're not so… noble and upright as those Cullens, now are you?"

"I would practice restraint, I could kill you this instant." I smiled.

"Oh you may well realize that I'm somewhat difficult to kill… But you don't want to kill me… no no no, shhh… No I can help you achieve what you want more than anything." I explained.

"We are nothing alike, you know nothing about me." he said letting his anger surface.

"Heh… we're not so much different you and I, and ultimately we have the same goal." I explained as he watched me with a critical eye not releasing.

"And what is it that I want?" He said trying to hide his curiosity. I smiled back at him.

"You want Embry out of the way, permanently… but you can't do that yourself, hahaha, heheheh, oh no… your little sweetie pie? No she wouldn't approve of that." I grinned as he processed my opinion.

"Why do you think I need your help to keep my girlfriend with me?" He asked me and I watched his resolve faltering.

"Because, you almost killed him… you didn't get the job done, and worse than that, she's right there with him, helping nurse him back to health… Don't you think it's possible she'll see the man she fell in love with before you dying… until the job is finished… well you can kiss your precious Leah goodbye." A flicker of recognition ran through his eyes and I flew backwards shattering a tree behind me.

"Now now… getting violent won't fix the fact that you screwed this up." I felt my body release then both my arms get ripped from my body. I smiled.

"well… I'll be around… find me if you want to get serious about winning Leah back." I laughed as I let my body die.

**Mike's POV**

I didn't know what to make of it all, but here I was sitting in an abandoned warehouse Xavier standing up and pacing.

"Where to start, oh this is so exciting, I never expected you to put up a fight, at first look you just look like an overweight lazy person, but no… oh boy was I wrong! I was wrong indeed, you fought very well, you fought aggressively. And surprisingly you have form, and muscle! Who would have known, I suppose the old adage about judging books by their cover is true." He said beaming like a kid in a candy shop. I was paralyzed by fear. There was nothing I could do, I'd read and seen what the Cullens could do, there was no possible way to get away from him, he was faster, stronger, and probably smarter than I was.

"Originally I was just going to kill you or suck your blood, but you will serve a much bigger purpose than that… but first we need to get you in to shape, stronger, faster, you'll be my very best student I've had… Oh it's just mouthwatering to talk about… Oh I'm sorry… that's a bad phrase around lunchtime." I couldn't argue, I'd gone stiff from fear. I didn't even argue that I'd be sucked clean, or tortured beyond reason… but I had to ask, had to say it.

"Wh…why… do you think I'll help you?" His complexion changed immediately.

"Well, I'm going to make you a better man… I'm going to show you everything you need to know… I'm going to teach you about how underhanded and tricky the Cullen's and how they've been using you… You might not believe me at first, and you may hate me for a long time… but eventually you'll know the truth…" he answered. I didn't believe it. The Cullens were my only friends and they would never betray me."

"Well I suppose now it for the hating part… You're going to run a mile right now… and if you don't make it a mile… well I suppose you can figure out what will happen to you after that… but I'm fairly sure you want to make it a mile." He said smiling.

**Jacob's POV**

It was hard to watch my best friend die, but that's exactly what I was doing now. It was weird, we all put on smiles and laughs as the façade continued but I wanted to cry. When was the right time to say goodbye? When should we let go? His mother and father arrived last night. It was so weird calling my father his. It was surreal, just as it was when we started phasing to become a wolf. It first started as a nightmare, and then, a dream come true and now this. It was kind of funny in a sick kind of way. We both looked to a future without end, my future wife would never age and so I'd never stop phasing, and He would stay a wolf forever, until he found his one true love no matter how long it took. Now look at him, he won't even see twenty five.

I wanted to spend all my time with him but I had responsibilities now. I was a father and I had to take care of my daughter Layla. I wanted to spend all my time with her, but as much as it hurt me to even think it, in two days I wouldn't have Embry to watch, he'd be dead.

If that wasn't bad enough Mike Iverson was kidnapped by Xavier. I had no idea where he'd run. Edward, Bella, Emmett, and Rosalie were still out trying to track him down but he multiplied and ran in different directions making it impossible to track him. It was weird seeing someone outside of the family getting in to Rosalie's circle of people she cared about, but Mike was definitely there. Tanya had only come back to explain to Mike's family how Mike gave her a head start when four people tried to kidnap her, and took him instead. She played her part well. She wasn't emotionally stable right now. None of us would question her though. As soon as she told his family she joined up the search for Xavier and Mike. They would find him… Tanya called up the rest of the Denali Coven and now they were on their way. Garrett from what I've heard is a great tracker, but this might be a feat even for him.

I returned my focus down at Embry over the last half week his body had started to fade away. The venom we couldn't get out of him slowly sucking the muscle and fat out of his body. He was a twig now with next to no muscle. Feeding him was difficult as well since he was supposed to eat roughly a horse a day and we could only feed him through IVs. Carlisle stepped in to the room with a slightly confused look on his face then turned to me.

"Can you help me move Ms. Steramin in to the other room?" I stopped for a second remembering that was D's last name. I grabbed the bed frame and Carlisle grabbed the other side. We lifted it out of the room and Carlisle closed the door behind me. I didn't understand why he moved her. He seemed worried at first then he reclaimed his calm guise.

"Why did you move her in here, all your materials are in the other room." He looked hesitant to answer. D turned from me to him and nodded wondering the same thing. I could read conflict in his expression even though he covered it up quickly.

"There is something I need to tell you and I didn't want Embry to hear it… it might put more undue stress on his body than needed. And right now he can't have that." I nodded understanding the situation but D didn't.

"What's wrong with me, is it the baby? Did something happen to my baby? Is everything going to be alright?" Carlisle attempted to calm her down but was failing.

"Calm down Destiny, Carlisle is the best doctor I know." I said trying to calm her down, she quieted down and Carlisle continued.

"I couldn't get the ultrasound." I immediately knew what this meant.

"What do you mean you couldn't get an ultrasound, how is that even possible?" she said almost yelling. Jasper appeared stepping in to the door and D immediately was calm. Carlisle composed himself before continuing.

"What I mean is your child will at least be part vampire."

**Mike's POV**

I was out of breath after running a mile, I had always hated running. Xavier had a quart of water for me after it. I drank it quickly. He laughed as I finished it without putting it down.

"We're not done yet Mike... you've got weights to do today." He said point to the corner were some weights and a bench press sat.

"I know it's lacking, but this didn't all go according to my plan. I'm having a couple of my other selves grab some extra clothes and more work out equipment.

"I assume you know how to use a bench press?" He asked. I nodded laying my back on it, I was still exhausted and severely winded but it didn't seem like I had much of a choice.

"How does starting out with forty fives on either side sound." I shrugged. I hadn't bench pressed seriously before. I screwed around with it when I was in eighth grade, but that was before my body had grown. I grabbed the bar and lifted it off the weights I breathed in as the bar lowered to my chest and breathed out forcing the bar up.

"Keep going till you can't… believe me… I'll know if you're not trying." I slowly lowered it to my chest then lifted it again breathing out using proper form one of the things I'd learned I let the bar slowly fall down and I pushed with all my force feeling sweat dripping down my face. I felt my muscles and body clenching as I pushed the bar up for a fourth time and let it fall to my chest not hitting my chest. I clenched my teeth pressing it up in to the air. It dropped back to my chest but I couldn't push anymore my muscles were forcing it but it wouldn't lift. I felt it lift from me as Xavier put it on the holders. I winced in pain and exhaustion.

"Five… not bad for not having done bench press before. He handed me twenty pound weights and told me to start curling them until my arms couldn't. I did and I felt more pain in my body. He pointed me towards a bath tub that one of him had recently installed. It was behind a small wall and I didn't care right now I was a sweaty sopping mess I turned on cold water and stripped my clothes off and climbed in. I had to let my body adjust to the temperature. It was cold but not cold enough to send a shock to my system. I settled in to it wearing swimming trunks he'd handed me… he told me he'd be talking to me while I was in the tub and if it made me more comfortable put them on. My body was just getting used to the temperature now and he sat down across from me.

"I guess now is as good of a time to tell you as any… it might be hard to hear but I figured you of all people would want the straight, unfiltered truth." He had changed, he wasn't his sort of playful self right now. He seemed somber. He seemed honest.

"The truth is the Cullen's have been trying to control you all this time. There's so much I don't even know where to start." He said looking at where to start.

"The beginning?" He laughed without humor at my response.

"The beginning is a long time ago. I suppose we can start with the basics. Emmett and Rosalie have been together for decades… They saw you were getting to close so Rosalie brought you in." I shook my head not wanting to believe it but it made sense.

"They've been together that long Rosalie is horribly narcissistic. She may have enjoyed the fact she could hold you in the palm of your hand." I looked down trying to deny this… this blatantly obvious fact. I wanted to tell him he was wrong but I knew he wasn't. I tried to keep a straight face but felt the warmth of tears developing. That's just what I needed… I was too frickin' emotional and I'd let myself fall for Rosalie… at least I had Tanya… he couldn't tarnish that.

"Emmett simply follows Rosalie's lead… she's the ring leader of those to. Initially Carlisle disapproved of the idea believing the connection with Emmett would make it clear, but quickly you fell for her and he approved it as a way to keep you under their thumb without endangering their way of life. Carlisle is the mastermind of it all, he doesn't intend to hurt anyone but to sustain their lifestyle they must, and his family is paramount to him." I shook my head. It all made sense but I didn't want to believe it.

"No it's not like that… it just isn't!" I said straining my voice and moving, I sunk back in to the cold bath.

"I'm sorry Mike, I didn't mean to offend you but I wanted to give you the truth. I won't make myself out to be a saint. The reason I gave you that book is because I didn't want you to be without knowledge about them. That night you learned all about them I wanted you to know the truth not their version of the truth." It was all so hard to take in, it felt like it was there in front of me but I didn't want to accept it, it made sense, there was no real reason Rosalie would want me, no real reason.

"Don't worry… I'll help you get your revenge, but I think you've got enough to think about now… come on it is time for balance exercises. I climbed out of the cold tub and he tossed me boxers, basketball shorts, and a sleeveless shirt. I toweled myself off and changed as he turned around. He pointed to a balance beam.

"We're going to be fighting on that… nothing too intense because we're working on balance… come on let's go." He said motioning me to follow, I was in all sorts of pain right now.

**Leah's POV**

I watched Jacob and Carlisle move D's bed in to the other room. I slowly got out of bed not to disturb my baby. I moved to Embry's side and ran my hand up from his palm up his arm his eyes opened quickly and he pulled my arm closer to him. I could feel it clearly… he was much weaker. The only part of him the still looked strong was his brown eyes. They still looked deep in to me stirring a passion I had long since thought gone.

"Hi." I said smiling at him. it was a rare moment. I knew it was all he could do right now to curl his lips up ever so slightly in response to me. Ness stepped in to the room then called for Layla.

"Layla, what are you doing in Carlisle's Office?" she asked before leaving the room. I ran my fingers down the side of his face gently and I could see him enjoying it. I slid my fingers to my lips kissing them then touched his lips.

"Embry… There is something I need you to know. However far away, I will always love you  
However long I stay, I will always love you, Whatever words I say, I will always love you." I said finishing a quote. I tried to fight back the tears but I failed and one rebel tear slipped out of my eye and down my cheek. I couldn't take it. This man had changed my life and whether I was with him or not, I'd love him and he'd be gone soon, too soon. He gently pulled on my arm and I bent down closer to him, summoning more strength than I thought he had he reached up to my face and wiped away my tear. I guided his weak arm back down to the bed next to him. I bent my face down further until our noses were touching then I pushed the last distance kissing him lightly on the lips before standing back up. I turned around quickly before another tear could sneak past my eyes.

**Xavier's POV**

I had learned much about Mike observing him. I'd need to be careful… He had his doubts about some of the Cullens, but he was fiercely loyal to others. With him it was walking through a mine field. I needed to turn him, and that required he trust in me. I knew he didn't trust all the Cullen's completely. I knew he trusts Edward the least, which would be my focal point. Tanya, Embry, Rosalie, and Jacob were completely off limits, he wouldn't waver in his trust of them, I might be able to weaken it, put doubt in his mind but He'd never turn on them. That was fine though, I'd find my ways around it. All I really needed in the end was a distraction, He would make that perfect distraction. I didn't want a simple distraction though, if he could be my pupil that would be best… he showed more potential than anyone I had seen in a long time. True he needed to get in to better shape but that was possible, it was doable, he and the perfect temperament to be controlled, but I could not control him normally. I had to always give him options, just make sure he always picked my option. The best way to control someone else let them believe they were in control. I curled my lips in to a smile. Everything was going according to plan. The pieces were falling in to place.

**Jacob's POV**

"What do you mean part vampire? How is that possible, Embry's a werewolf, I've never slept with anyone but him, I don't get it how?"D said obviously upset I had an idea of how it might have happened… but I didn't want it to be that way. It was a future we didn't know for sure. There were way too many maybes.

"All I know for sure is the only instance of this happening I've seen in the very long time I've been a doctor was with Bella. My best guess is that the venom that went in to your body spread throughout your system to the baby. When we sucked the venom out of your body we sucked all of it out, but it was too late and had already spread to the child…" Carlisle explained. I was shocked with fear, this was my niece or nephew we were talking about. What if the child was an immortal child, would we have the will to kill it? Carlisle quickly interrupted my thoughts.

"The last time this happened… Renesmee almost killed Bella, would have too if she wasn't turned in a vampire, but from what I can see your reactions have been less… drastic. I've been trying to do some research on this kind of thing, but it's very difficult to find information. Everything I've found would suggest that the venom should kill the fetus outright, but yours hasn't. I'm only speculating but…"

"What? What is it?" D interrupted quickly. She'd have her answer if she didn't insist on interrupting but I couldn't blame her. This isn't the kind of news you hear every day, and her hormones were in overdrive to top it off.

"I think that Embry's Shifter genes are fighting off the Vampire venom, or at least balancing it out…" Carlisle said.

"There's more to it than that isn't there Doctor?" D asked watching him carefully. He nodded.

"Yes… it's very possibly the genes that aren't Shifter are being converted to shifter genes or being affected by the venom… but it's impossible to know… really I don't know any of this… these are just ideas. It is completely possible that I'm wrong, or worse… You'll give birth to an Immortal Child." He responded gravely. It was my worse fear. And we would be forced to protect it, keep it… it would be the last of Embry, we'd have no other choice… I would protect my nephew or niece to I drew my last breath.

"What's an immortal child?" D asked curiously.

"It's a baby vampire… they never age, and their outlawed by the vulturi because they never age to a point where they can make conscious decisions. The penalty for keeping an immortal child is death." She gasped slightly then slowly rubbed her stomach. I knew that look in her eye… I understood it… It was determination. No matter what happened, she would protect that baby with every ounce of her that she had.

**Renesmee's POV**

I walked in to the room playing another game of hide and seek with Layla. I turned noticing Leah standing over Embry. The way she stood told it all. I didn't mind, in fact I thought it was good to get everything out there. I hadn't known Embry as long as everyone else here but I knew he deserved to know how she felt. I turned my attention to Layla who had made her way in to Carlisle's Office.

"Layla, what are you doing in Carlisle's Office?" I said closing the door behind me giving Leah and Embry their privacy. I looked at the ground and noticed six broken syringes a seventh flew from Layla's hand and I caught it easily, all of them the needles were bent.

"Carlisle's needles don't work!" she said pouting. I smiled looking at her she was absolutely adorable and it took a strong effort on my part to be angry at her even now.

"You shouldn't be breaking Carlisle's medical equipment." I said calmly but firm.

"They don't work!" she said throwing a small fit. I looked at her.

"What do you mean?" she grabbed my hand then touched me using my power to show me her memories of trying to poke herself with a syringe. I didn't understand why she'd do that. I was still getting used to seeing my power used on me but we quickly learned Layla has the power of anyone she touches as long as physical contact continues, even more than that her power is twice as powerful as the original power. Her using my power on me always made my head spin a little.

"Why would you want to do that?" I said chiding her as I picked her up with a smile.

"Embry's blood is bad… I wanted to give him my blood!" she exclaimed. I laughed and smiled then thought about it for a moment. I disappeared in to the next room then looked for Carlisle who had stepped out for a moment.

"I know it's a crazy idea, but what if we transferred some of my blood to Embry, I mean I have amazing regenerative abilities like shifters but my blood shouldn't be affected negatively by the venom… it could work." I watched Carlisle go through ideas in his mind.

"Usually you need to be a blood type match, there is so much red tape we should clear." Embry's mother stepped in the door wearing a conflicted look on her face. It was not hope, but the want to hope.

"Doctor, you gave my son roughly one day left to live… if there is anything that may increase that or even have a chance to you have my consent." Billy wheeled in behind Sue nodding.

"Mine as well." Billy said with a calm affirming tone.

"As a doctor this is all new to me, This isn't treating a gunshot wound. This is a completely new area, now looking at this very basically the venom from a vampire spreads through the bloodstream turning or killing it's victim. It's been established that most has been removed hence why Embry has lived this long, and he's very strong. Logically speaking the idea of putting in healthy blood to clean it might work, but I never had considered half vampires blood to do it. I just knew human blood wouldn't work and Vampire's wouldn't either. With the healing properties a half vampire holds it is plausible to believe that there may be a chance that by giving him some clean blood without any venom could possibly work to heal him." Carlisle explained.

"There was an awful lot of possiblies, and plausiblies in there." Billy noted. Carlisle nodded. He sighed as he ran his hand across his chin.

"I wish I could give you a better answer but this is an odd circumstance. I doubt your ancestors had allies who could suck the venom out of their veins if they were bit." Billy nodded.

"Please try it… I want to thank you for taking care of him like this… he's my son, and without your help I would have never seen him again." I nodded.

"He is part of my family, I will do everything within my power to help heal him." I stepped forward as well.

"I know I haven't known him long, but he's always felt like a brother to me." I said seriously. Carlisle turned to me critically.

"If we're going to do this, I want to do this correctly. I need something to pierce your skin, and it must be sterile. So please make sure you brush your teeth before you bite yourself…" He pointed to a point in my arm.

"I want you to bite yourself right there…" he said shrugging, not completely liking the idea of hurting his granddaughter. I could see it in his eyes. I smiled.

"Grandpa, I gave birth to a child, this won't be so bad." I said looking at him again he smiled.

**Mike's POV**

The day was over. The last balancing exercise was difficult, my body was exhausted from the work outs and the balance was hard, harder than it should have been. I'd just taken a nice cold shower after the work out and my body was still on fire. I'd been given a semi private area, The curtains were hung around my bed and desk area. There were lights for reading on either right now I was just laying in bed. Xavier stepped in to my area.

"Hey… I got you some books for you to read… wrestling, ground fighting, grappling technique, you're going to be studying when you're not working out…" I looked down at the books the back at him. He sat down at the chair.

"I know this isn't easy for you to hear but… they were using Tanya also…" I shook my head immediately.

"No… I love Tanya." It was the first time I'd said it… I'd never been able to say it to her… it was too hard but in this emotional wreck I was in I must have slipped… or maybe I just let my guard down.

"I'm sorry Mike… I know she cares an awful lot for you but there is someone else." He said gently. My body tensed. I always knew she was too good for me.

"Who." He looked down then back up at me and sighed…

"It's real she really cares about you but… she's wanted Edward for half a century… maybe longer… I guess you're her second choice." I felt tears of betrayal surface. I didn't believe it, I didn't want to… It couldn't be true.

"No… no you're lying."

I could see it… I hated it in every way and I tried to push it aside like it wasn't there but it was… I was just her second choice… leftovers. It was Edward's fault. He did this to me, the fucking mind rapist seduced her and kept her at arm's length on purpose, that sick fuck just did it to build his own confidence.

I need to show you." He said. I got up and followed him. inside the large building was many miscellaneous materials laying about. There was a high window I could never reach and he pointed to it. he looked at me then ran up the side of the wall and grabbed on to the window opening it.

"Simple enough… You need to be able to do that, then pull yourself out of the building by the end of the month… if not… then you're not worth my time and you won't live to disappoint me further… one month." I stood awestruck completely unable to believe it.

"How am I supposed to do that?" I asked honestly.

"Parkour, we start that and swimming tomorrow."

**Jacob's POV**

I watched helplessly as my love's blood was being syringed in to my best friend. He looked like a skeleton now… he hadn't eaten solid food in days and now he looked like a shell of himself… his face was thin, his arms bare, his breathing was light and labored. It looked painful. He hadn't spoken in two days. It was horrible seeing my best friend slowly get the life sucked out of him. His very body had betrayed him, his voice was gone and now his parents stand over him holding their breath, waiting for a miracle. Not just a miracle but a stretch to a miracle, even less likely. If it worked it'd be a miracle. We all watched not knowing what to expect. We had been staring at him for a minute now and he showed no progress… and then it happened.

**Embry's POV**

My mind was in overhaul. I had given up on keeping my eyes open, it was so much easier just to let darkness overtake me. I felt a stab in to my collar, near where I was bitten. I couldn't tell if he was taking blood or injecting me with something until He started to press down in the syringe. I felt warmth in my collar, then my chest, then slowly it spread up and down my cold body. I felt it releasing me from the cold grips of death, and then I felt my lungs… it felt like I was breathing for the first time since being bit. I felt myself regaining control of my body. I opened my eyes slowly looking down at my mom who was in tears with her hands wrapped around mine. I squeezed gently and smiled as she looked at me.

"Hi Mom." I felt immediate pain as I tried to talk like someone had their hand wrapped around my lungs squeezing. She jumped to her feet and hugged me tightly causing me to cough. I heard laughing. I noticed how many people had gathered around me. I saw Billy next to her and I couldn't resist.

"Dada.." I said as innocently as I could. I heard Leah snicker to my opposite side as she had pushed to my side next to D who had also came by.

"Don't you even start Embry, we might have missed you, but we didn't miss you that much." He said trying to keep a stern disapproving look on his face but the smile was slowly escaping. I started laughing and pain shot through me. I gritted my teeth and waiting for it to pass. Dr. Carlisle came to my side, hands empty… he never used a clipboard. He smiled at me.

"It's good you're recovering… Where do you think your worse pain is?" He asked. I didn't need to think about it.

"Lungs." I said not saying more than needed. He nodded.

"Well you need to work your lungs then to get them back to strength and help the blood work." I nodded in agreement.

"The best way to do this would probably be singing a song." He said skeptically. I nodded. Carlisle turned to my parents with another smile.

"He's starting to recover… I don't know how long it will take to fully recover… but it looks like he's going in the right direction." My mom nodded. She turned to Billy.

"Hey, I think Embry will want some time to talk to his friends." Billy nodded. Mom turned and wheeled him out of the room and to the hotel they told me they were staying at.

"The best way for you to rehab right now is to talk…" I nodded.

"Okay." I said but said nothing more because of the pain. Carlisle disappeared for a moment then reappeared with my guitar.

"Something that will force you to talk through the pain… singing." I nodded… it made sense. I started to get up but in an instant I felt cold hands pushing me back down. Jasper was nearly on the bed holding me down.

"No, you can't move yet." He said as I propped myself up again.

"I'd like to use the laptop" I said forcing myself to use a full sentence even though it hurt. I felt like a five year old asking permission.

"You didn't say please." Jacob said behind me and I turned in time to see Leah backhand him. Ness smiled approving of the action. Jacob looked offended.

"Come on, Ness, you're not gonna say anything?" Jacob gaped.

"No, you had it coming." She said smiling. D even laughed at that remark. Esme returned with a laptop and I quickly looked up the cord progression of the song I wanted to play and read it over. I knew the lyrics. I put my arm over the acoustic and slowly started strumming, not sure if my voice would hold out the whole song or not. I looked down then up, unwittingly it felt like I was playing a concert… until now I hadn't realized how far to big my own shirt was on me, I was almost swimming in it.

"Send away for a priceless gift  
one not subtle, one not on the list  
send away for a perfect world  
one not simply, so absurd  
in these times of doing what you're told  
keep these feelings, no one knows  
what ever happened to the young man's heart?  
swallowed by pain, as he slowly fell apart" I sang even though I wanted to stop, the pain was excoriating..

"And I'm staring down the barrel of a 45,  
I'm swimming through the ashes of another life  
There's no real reason to accept the way things have changed  
Staring down the barrel of a 45" I said pushing my vocal cords harder and further. That note would have strained me before, now I was almost in tears from the pain.

"Send a message to the unborn child  
Keep your eyes open for a while  
In a box high up on the shelf, left for you, no one else  
There's a piece of a puzzle known as life  
Wrapped in guilt, sealed up tight" I forced myself to ignore the burning pain in my lungs.

"What ever happened to the young man's heart?  
Swallowed by pain, as he slowly fell apart?" I blinked heavily forcing myself to ignore the pain and push on through the chorus.

"And I'm staring down the barrel of a 45,  
I'm swimming through the ashes of another life  
There's no real reason to accept the way things have changed  
Staring down the barrel of a 45" my fingers momentarily slipped but I put them back in place continuing the song.

"Everyone's pointing their fingers  
Always condemning me  
And nobody knows what I believe  
I believe" I coughed.

"And I'm staring down the barrel of a 45,  
I'm swimming through the ashes of another life  
There's no real reason to accept the way things have changed  
Staring down the barrel of a 45." I said finishing the song. My lungs expanded and contracted in pain. I set down the guitar looking up at those around me with a smile.

"I'm going to be okay." I said firmly, not a question, but a statement

**Rough night, rough week, rough month sorry it took so long to write and update but hey it's much longer than most the chapters in this story. Hope you like it. Please leave reviews. Thank you to the hardcore reviewers who stick with me through all this shit. Remember, knucks, high fives, rolls of twenty dollar bills and reviews, catch you on the flip side.**


	26. With arms wide open BOOM

**Disclaimer: Sorry about the delay, but without further ado here is my chapter, and I'm not Stephenie Meyer… anyone else think it's weird that I put delay and ado in the same sentence? They are kind of the same word. **

**Disclaimer Deuce: BOOM HERE COMES THE BOOM READY OR NOT, HERE COMES THE BOYS FROM THE SOUTH!**

**Xavier's POV**

My next move was a risk, but a calculated risk. Mike was having his doubts about the Cullens, but that didn't mean he trusted me… I needed to shatter his house of cards, but Someone else had to do it. I knew how I would do it too. Tanya… she was the center point the one person he held closest. She was what all his hope was based around, and I'd destroy it, or rather I'd let her destroy it.

**Mike's POV**  
I'd lost track of how many days I'd been at the complex, they all melded together. Each day was a flurry of Parkour, Weight lifting, Gymnastics, swimming, fighting, and studying. Each day was Also sprinkled with Xavier telling me how the Cullen's betrayed me. I had started on my reading as soon as I woke up. Xavier stepped in giving me that look he gave me before he imparted more of his knowledge.

"Truth be told I was helping you, or I was trying to when I gave you that book." I had learned no response was the best response to this kind of thing.

"Edward was trying to control you… As soon as they figured out you knew something was up with them they moved on you… They befriended you tried to bring you in to stop you from saying something but they only saw one future for you… Death… Originally…. Tanya convinced them that maybe you'd become a vampire… maybe she could take care of you but the rest of them… especially Jasper thought death would be the easiest solution to you." I shook my head.

"I don't believe you." I said in a monotone voice.

"Haven't you noticed how callous Jasper is? How he doesn't seem to draw emotion… It's because he's a hardened killer, but I don't suppose they told you that did they?" I eyed him not believing it.  
"No… It's not like that… you made that up." He shook his head apologetically.

"No I haven't… Jasper has killed hundreds if not thousands of people just because they were of no longer use to him. That's not even counting the fact that until a decade or two ago he was sucking humans dry of blood… he's over a hundred years old." Xavier said seriously.

"Edward noticed it first because he scans minds for any trouble incoming. They decided they'd rather pull you in instead of pack up and leave, unfortunately how perceptive you are is your downfall." I shook my head not believing it.

"Eventually they realized they couldn't control you with Rosalie anymore… and believe me that's exactly what they were trying to do… They sent for their friend Tanya. Yes, she did develop real feelings for you but you were only her second choice. She'd wanted Edward for decades, now that Bella who is barely older than you has his heart she's settled for you… as a second choice." I was extremely angered by this.

"You're lying!" I said getting up and throwing a punch at him. effortlessly he moved out of the way dodging it not a single hair out of place.

"This isn't Tanya's fault though. No, no, the fault lies with Edward. You see he was in her head all along he used her… tried to tell her what she wanted to hear, and it was much easier to do when he could read her thoughts. Edward did this… Edward seduced her and pushed her aside." I still couldn't believe it but it was more real… it pissed me off. I could see it too. Edward always seemed cold and detached. I wouldn't have believed it but it all fell in to place.

"I can even prove it… I'm going to trust you to do something but I need you to want to find the truth more than escape… You won't escape but you'll make it more difficult on me." I nodded. He looked slightly conflicted. He disappeared out of the room then returned a second later in a blur of movement. He opened his hand slowly revealing a cell phone.

"If you believe my story is false… call Jasper… call Tanya and ask them yourself. You can't talk for very long though. They'll try to deceive you… They are very, very good at that. Ask your questions and don't let them talk you out of them." I nodded as he passed the phone. I wanted to believe Tanya… She wouldn't do that to me. She wasn't seduced by that prune Edward. I would call Jasper first. I gulped looking down at the cell phone. I could believe what he said about Jasper… something always was slightly unsettling about him. I wouldn't take too much time with this call, I needed to ask my question and move to Tanya before they could spread lies to each other. I didn't believe Tanya would lie to me… I couldn't… but Edward had affected her before… he'd convince her to lie to me… anything to achieve his end. I just didn't know what his end was yet. Xavier was different, hard to read… He made me uncomfortable but the words he said resounded my worst fears I tried to bury within me. I closed my eyes for a moment before dialing Jasper's number. After three rings he finally picked up.

"Hello… can I help you?" He said with his eerily calm voice. My throat was dry thinking about everything Xavier said. He must have been lying I knew Jasper made me uncomfortable but he wasn't a murderer.

"uhh… Hi Jasper." I said wavering slightly.

"Are you okay?" He said confidently. I didn't know how to answer, I didn't know what to ask… Now a fear had overtaken me of Jasper… He was worth fearing.

"fine, yeah… umm… have you killed hundreds of people?" I said as casually as I could… How do you ask that question causally? Can I barrow your Skynyrd CD? and _Oh by the way have you slaughtered a small towns worth of people? _It was impossible to even possible there was a right way to ask that question?

"Yes… I have… some vampires… some not." He said calmly. He was unshaken. It sent a chill down my spine that it didn't even bug him, didn't catch him off guard.

"umm that's all goodbye." I said quickly and hung up before he could protest. Xavier is nowhere to be found. But I knew what he was thinking. _I told you so._ It was that attitude that pissed me off… I'd prove him wrong… he was wrong about Tanya… she never liked Edward, that prune never had a hold over her… I looked down at my phone arguing why I shouldn't call her but I couldn't find a concrete reason… I just didn't want him to be right… But knowing if he was right wouldn't change if he was or not. I closed my eyes and dialed the number I had memorized.

"What!" A very angry Tanya answered.

"umm hi…" I said taken back by her hostility.

"Mike? Mike that's you? Are you okay?" Was all I could make out before she started talking too fast for me to comprehend.

"Slow down…" I said trying to stay calm. I seemed backwards but the fact that she was worried made me feel better… There was no way she liked Edward.

"I just got a couple questions for you Tanya."

"What do you mean questions for me? Where are you?" I sighed.

"I don't know but He hasn't killed me yet. Listen… He told me you've had feelings for Edward… you've been trying to woo him for over half a century… I told him he was wrong… right?" She didn't answer right away… She was hesitating. So he wasn't lying.

"That was before I knew you, Mike." She explained.

"But you going out with me was his idea?" I said continuing. I needed to know how much Xavier had lied about… it hurt.

"His and Rosalie's yes… why?" she asked.

"Simply because they asked you… I'm glad I can be passed so easily… and of course you would do that for the man you've been waiting for all this time… anything for the fucking mind rapist Edward." I said letting my acidic sarcasm in to the conversation.

"You're so fucking blind it's not even funny, you're jealous that I had feelings for Edward before I met you? I can't believe you."

"Yes I am! I guess the fact that you've been trying to get him for half a century and now that he's married you decide to settle on me… I'm glad I'm your second choice." I said snidely.

"Well I figured if I couldn't have the person I wanted I'd settle on you… What the fuck do you think? I didn't do all that shit with you because I liked needing to resist your blood every moment I was around you!" she said almost screaming.

"No you did it because they asked you… because they needed a distraction… whatever I don't give a fuck, but I'll be better than Edward… I promise it. They needed someone to lead me around by the hand… congratulations you did everything they wanted you to… You won… You had me… You have me… and I'll have you… I promise you…"

"Mike… please…"

"I'll be a different man… I'll be the better man… Goodbye Tanya." I turned off the cell phone. I breathed deeply closing my eyes I opened them and saw Xavier standing in front of me. I looked straight in to his eye.

"I will kill Edward Cullen."

**Tanya's POV:**

"Mike… please…" I pleaded with him.

"I'll be a different man… I'll be the better man… Goodbye Tanya." The line went dead. I wanted to cry… I would have half way through the conversation but I couldn't anymore. I tried to force myself to calm down but this didn't look good. Not only was I at a complete lost as to where Mike was, but it sounded like Xavier was turning him. I grabbed my Cell phone looking down at it wondering how close to correct he was. Was it possible I was settling on him? No, impossible. I sighed out flipping opening my phone and dialing Edward.

"Edward… we've got a problem…"

**Xavier's POV**

As soon as I was close enough to him to speak I lost control of my body and started floating in air. I was pulled to him and he stood and stared in amazement.

"Now now, let's not be hasty." I said seeing his obvious anger.

" You should be dead, I ripped you apart and burned you." I laughed without humor.

"Yeah… that kind of hurt, if you could refrain from that that would be swell… and for the other thing… I am dead… you are too." He said smiling.

"Damn it… stop smiling you sick fuck!" He said throwing me against a tree shattering it and picked me back up.

"Oh come on now… you need to have some fun… in other words… 'why so serious?'" he said smiling. He tightened his grip on me.

"You've had some more time to think about it… how about it then? Oh please will you join me? It'll be so much fun and all your wildest dreams come true…" He said taunting me.

"Give me one good reason not to kill you right now?" He said staring angrily.

"You need me… for your little Leah-Lou." I said laughing I felt my arm ripped my arm. quickly it turned on my and was plunged through my chest, through my heart and then darkness came over me. I was losing my senses one by one, first to go was touch… it was gone… then smell… I couldn't fell my other arm getting ripped off. My other arm floated in front of my face.

"I hate him with every fiber in me… I will always hate him… I will hate him for everything he can give Leah that I can't… I hate him for the fact that he was there for her when Sam broke her heart, when I should have been there… I hate him for how close he's come to Leah, how I'm not the only one whose had her heart… but for the same reason I'll never help you kill him." I turned my attention back to my arm that was floating in front of me as my hands opened like a claw and flew towards my head.

**Embry's POV**

It was humiliating that I couldn't walk. I literally needed to be carried to the bathroom… None of them complained about it. I was such a burden and it felt like I wasn't healing fast enough. Ness was going to give me some more of her blood later this week… I didn't want her to but after seeing the result of the last injection of her blood she insisted… I felt like 2 weeks wasn't long enough time for her to recover but she disagreed. It wasn't like we knew what we were doing so far. My body was still nearly a skeleton… I was healing but it was slow.

I made a point try and work out as much as I could, even if working out was playing guitar and singing. I pulled out my guitar as I noticed D walking over to my bed. I crossed my legs so she could sit on the bed. I looked at her with a sort of admiration. In this moment I knew I'd be a father, and no matter what happened that child would be mine even if he or she was part vampire, I was merely hoping for ten fingers and ten toes, more than that was just details. It all seemed so impossible but so real.

I looked deep in to her beautiful green eyes piercing through everything that had happened. Just happy for right now I started strumming softly. I closed my eyes and started singing.

"Well I just heard the news today  
It seems my life is going to change  
I closed my eyes, begin to pray  
Then tears of joy stream down my face." I sang smiling and opening my eyes looking back in to her. To me she had never looked more beautiful to me than when she was carrying my child.

"With arms wide open  
Under the sunlight  
Welcome to this place  
I'll show you everything  
With arms wide open  
With arms wide open" I sang out.

"Well I don't know if I'm ready  
To be the man I have to be  
I'll take a breath, I'll take her by my side  
We stand in awe, we've created life." I sang fully. The song nearly brought me to tears, it was so real… it was so right, it was so powerful… it was all I felt.

"With arms wide open  
Under the sunlight  
Welcome to this place  
I'll show you everything  
With arms wide open  
Now everything has changed  
I'll show you love  
I'll show you everything  
With arms wide open  
With arms wide open  
I'll show you everything ...oh yeah  
With arms wide open..wide open" I sang before playing a guitar rift acoustically.

"If I had just one wish  
Only one demand  
I hope he's not like me  
I hope he understands  
That he can take this life  
And hold it by the hand  
And he can greet the world  
With arms wide open..." I yelled out, and I meant it. I didn't want him to go through all the things I did, I didn't want him to struggle like I did.

"With arms wide open  
Under the sunlight  
Welcome to this place  
I'll show you everything  
With arms wide open  
Now everything has changed  
I'll show you love  
I'll show you everything  
With arms wide open  
With arms wide open  
I'll show you everything..oh yeah  
With arms wide open...wide open." I sang painfully as I came to a stop. I stared in to her eyes for a moment. She got up to her knees crawled forward to me and softly planted a kiss on my lips with tears forming in her eyes. She smiled them away. The tears came down softly across her cheeks regardless. I wiped her tears away realizing her face was warm. That wasn't what caught me off guard… the fact that she was warmer than me is what caught me off guard. I was eating a lot of food but something was different about me. Carlisle stopped in looking at me.

"Carlisle I'm cold… I haven't been cold in years!" I said loudly fear. He smiled and nodded.

"Embry, calm down I've been studying your progression very carefully. I believe it's your body trying to take care of yourself… you aren't eating enough food to maintain your body and body heat I believe you'll return to your same condition." I nodded. I believed him completely he wouldn't lie to me, not about this. It was now that my life my wolflihood was threatened that I knew I didn't feel it was a curse to me. It was a blessing and it was a high honor to be a defender of my home.

"I have good news for Destiny." He said smiling without showing teeth.

"What is it Dr. Cullen?" She asked with piqued interest.

"There are some distinct differences between your situation and Bella's. First and foremost we have a better handle on what we're doing this time, that being said I'm putting you on a partial blood diet… Secondly you were bitten you didn't have intercourse with a vampire… the child is only developing as a Vampire now… it isn't as hard on your body as it was on Bella's. Finally, I believe the fact that your child is part werewolf is counteracting against the Vampire… some of your cells have been changed in to werewolf cells… it's quite possible your child may phase even though usually it skips a generation." I didn't understand I knew that my child would never phase… I was prepared for that but my child… my child may become a guardian of La Push. The mere thought of that was enough to give me chills of fear and pride.

"I believe we can go through the birthing without any complications, and I think we can do it without turning you to a vampire." I measured D's face for response, relief. I was happy for her. It hurt too though… Not because she didn't want to be a vampire… but that she didn't want to be a part of this world. I guess to me she was still a world away, something just outside of my reach, but I would keep reaching because I loved her, and she was carrying the miracle that was my child. It was ironic, being flanked by the two women I love, both of them pregnant. I threw my head back against the pillow looking over at Leah who was peacefully sleeping. If there was a more beautiful sight than watching her chest heave slowly up and down with each calm breath I didn't know it. I rolled my eyes back in to my head and did the only thing I could do to get better, sleep.

**Mike's POV**

Xavier had asked me if I had the strength to be the man to beat Edward… I would be. No matter what it took to be that guy I would be him. And so here I was, handcuffed to a wooden chair. It wasn't exactly a very strong chair but much stronger than I could break out of. I'd tried to break out but couldn't. I didn't know what this was but I knew it was one of Xavier's exercises, one of his plans. While I didn't like them all I could at least see the results, I'd lost so much weight in the time I'd been here, I moved quicker, I didn't know if I was more tired or not but only because any time I wasn't tired I was working my way to getting exhausted. What stepped through the door next caught me off guard. He looked to be about twenty one, maybe 6'1 or 6'2 and he had a hint of muscle around him. His skin tone was dark, but I couldn't place it. He smiled pulling off his shirt to leave only a thin undershirt before turning his hips back and forth as if to stretch out.

"Heh… sorry punk, nothing personal… I just got offered a good bit of money to beat the piss out of your cracka ass for the next twenty minutes… just keep you from this door. Now don't get me wrong I could kick your ass if you weren't handcuffed… heh but no reason to make this harder than it needs to be..." He said almost if he was apologizing.

"Can't just let you sit here either… said I needed to put a good beat down on you… sorry punk." He said laughing before he swung hard at my stomach. It connected right below my ribs and I expected more pain but it only stung. He took another swing at my left side this time. He connected and it hurt but not much. I laughed as he stepped back.

"Is that it? My sister hits harder then you." I laughed. His face contorted slightly then he made a large swinging motion before connecting with the side of my face at the cheek I moved with it as much as possible but I absorbed most of the blow. It hurt but it was more embarrassing to get hit by someone who telegraphed his moves as obviously. I could easily dodge him if I was standing. He was winding up for another haymaker this time with his left hand and I took it just like I took the other one and my face hurt, but no way was I going to show this guy who obviously had little to no practical fighting experience it hurt. He was just a bully, never learned, always expected his victims to stand there and take whatever he gave them. I laughed painfully. I leaned forward in pain my hand cuffs still holding me against the chair but I was hanging my head.

"What is it punk? You cracka ass bitch givin' up?" I lifted my head till I looked him in the eye and has a evil smile even though it hurt to smile.

"Is that all you got? I'll take your best shot." He leaned back and pulled his fist back he struck with a straight punch connecting with the bridge of my nose. I forced myself to rebelliously stare him in the eye. He looked back at me with a strange look I only understood when I tasted my own blood on my lips. Quickly he took a couple more shots at my stomach, they hurt but not significantly. I had always had a high threshold for pain. It did help that he didn't hit the same place twice. Finally as he lifted my chin up I spat my blood in to his chest and face. He took a step back and with a running start he kicked his bottom of his shoe in to my chest lifting my chair off the ground and sending it backwards and collapsing. The chairs shattered under me by my hands were still tangled around the middle post of the back of the chair but I could slip that out of the way, maybe even get the my hands cuffed in front of me. I made it to my knees before feeling the full force of a punt to my stomach sending me spinning on to my back. That kick did hurt… there wasn't much of an art to a punt kick and it was pretty easy to learn. I felt things getting hazes and blurred for a moment. I tried to force myself to focus I didn't know if I was blacking out but I didn't want to. I heard a ring… I barely distinguished it as a cell phone. The ring stopped after the second time.

"Yeah." He answered angrily. My vision was blurry but I could see him pacing back and forth.

"Yeah Edwaru, but I'm busy fucking up some ugly ass cracka, just back the fuck off I'll be back, till then chill your ass down, This shit pays well." I got back up to my knees wearily still not completely focused. I slid my hands down my legs to my feet until my arms were in front of my body and I smiled. My hands were still wrapped around the middle post of the chair the other posts were broken off leaving just the seat of the chair connected to the post I could easily drop it and my hands would be free besides the hand cuffs. My vision was finally coming back slowly. I closed my eyes ignoring the pain for a second and opened my eyes wiping the blood out of my mouth for the moment.

"HEY FUCKASS!" I yelled. He flipped close his phone and turned around just in time for me to take three steps and swing the seat of the chair across his stomach and chest. I dropped my weapon and walked towards the door as he heaved on the ground, hunched on his knees. I rolled my eyes and reached for the door knob but stopped myself turning back. I stopped and looked at him as he groggily got up to his legs.

"Come on you wackass cracka… hit me with a weapon… that's bullshit right fucking there." I smirked at him lifting my arms up beckoning him to start something. It took a big telegraphed haymaker. It almost wasn't fair to beat him up. I caught his wrist between my handcuffs twisted my hands rubbing his wrist hard against the metal before twisting his hand backwards past him putting pressure between his middle and his knuckle pulling up on soft part under his thumb while forcing his hand down. His face contorted in pain.

"Wuss ass PUNK" I finally yelled spitting my blood in to his face again. I slid my leg behind closest leg sweeping it and then pushing forward and down with his manipulated wrist forcing him to fall to his back. I put my right knee on his bicep while applying more pressure until I thought he had enough. I released him. I walked over to his shirt and picked it up off the ground where he placed it. I stared him down as I wiped my nose off then my mouth then my face with his shirt. I threw it back on the ground. My black sleeveless shirt was already covered in my blood and now so was his. He got back up to his feet angry.

"Hey… asshole… back off, you've had enough." I said looking him in the eye. I knew he wouldn't… he'd need to be learned the hard way. He took another swing at me with a haymaker left hand, I easily ducked it and he fell off balance. I lifted my leg for a high muay thai kick to the area behind his left ear. It connected perfectly and he fell without any resistance. First his legs gave out and then he fell to the side, didn't even put his arms up to catch his fall. I turned back not looking behind me at the carnage, the blood spilled across the room. I sighed as I reached for the door and walked out of the room.

**Sorry for the delay between posts but yeah… no real excuse, but I can't leave because I'm too legit to quit. Funny I'm supposed to never finish things but I keep putting off finishing this to write more story… when I started this whole thing it was going to be one story… one story became two, two became five… five became… well you'll find out :-p anyway yes, Mike is taking a big turn in his life… or something like that… I'm looking forward to your comments on the chapter, remember to leave the ideas, knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills, and love letters in my comment box :-p**


	27. Already gone

**Disclaimer: Hey all you cool cats, I'm still not Stephenie Meyer...  
**

**Disclaimer Deuce: "the world is headed for mutiny when all we want is unity"  
**

**Mike's POV**

I couldn't believe what had happened yesterday… It wasn't like me. I was usually controlled and calm I couldn't be pulled in to a fight. I was always logical, I always saw the effects of my actions before they happened. Why didn't I walk out the door? Why did I go back and beat him up? There was absolutely nothing that could have done to help me. No logical reason for my actions. Anger, betrayal, revenge. Logic didn't favor them but they played a roll. I was tired of being pushed around like always, tired of being kicked around and finally it seemed I could hit back without holding back… and I did. I didn't even know his name and I sadistically dismantled him and proved to both of us I was the better fighter. I didn't even know his name and I beat him down to the ground repeatedly. I took all my anger out from those dumb asses in high school on him. In my defense he DID beat me up. I played through the events as if it was a dream until I sat up and pain shot from my left side stomach and chest.

No, it wasn't a dream, it was painfully real. It wasn't the first day I woke up in pain, but this wasn't a muscle pain, this was a definite bruise pain, to top it all off my back felt messed up too. I had told Xavier about this and he said he was arranging for a chiropractor to come in. I needed it… but more than that I needed a day off. The idea made me laugh, and as I did pain shot up my stomach to my ribs. I winced painfully closing my eyes and gritting my teeth. Xavier didn't give time off.

He said he had a "Farmer's boy surprise" lined up for today but I had no clue what that meant, but it was probably the next challenge. Yesterday was my first and it hurt, but I survived. There were more to come… I knew it, honestly I didn't like who I became to survive the last one but I did survive it, I thrived in it… I pushed aside my pain easily, now the pain was clear and prevalent. I heard her footsteps as she approached. Everything was so silent that now I was hearing more and more, not distracted by ambient noises… all that was left was her approaching footsteps. I rolled to my stomach and closed my eyes trying not to think of what today would bring.

**Embry's POV**

Even though I had received another injection from Ness, Carlisle insisted that I don't move around, now I could walk across the room to the bathroom, but that was all… No further, and I surely couldn't stand in one place. I guess momentum was on my side and I used my upper body to propel myself. D had called Fate and talked to him a couple days ago… we hadn't talked much, small talk here and there but nothing that scratched the surface of what I wanted to talk about. I was worried… I wanted her, in my heart I didn't know what to think, and then right next to me on the other side was Leah. Whenever I tried to compare the two, figure out whom I loved more I couldn't. It was impossible, each of them held unique qualities that made them special. It was Leah's hard sarcasm, D's strong enduring confidence, Leah's strong heart, D's ability to make me feel like more than me. I could try to compare and contrast but I loved them both.

If given the choice I couldn't make it. I'd longed for Leah for half of my life, and D was the one who helped put me back together after Leah left. In the end I suppose that was all that mattered, D put me back together, something real in me. After that she abandoned me for Fate. Did that make her any better than Leah? That was something she hated, any similarity between herself and Leah. There had to be some of the same qualities though, I fell in love with both. The worst thing about D was her dishonesty. She wasn't readily dishonest, but just about things I wouldn't like, or what she thought I wouldn't like. I still remember when we were starting to go out, I'd told her I wasn't in to tattoos. In truth I was thinking full sleeves and such, but she told me she didn't get any. Later I found them in pictures, nothing big, nothing that made her any less stunningly beautiful in my eyes, but it wasn't that they were tattoos, but marks of the lies she told. It was the strongest quality about Leah D didn't have. Leah tried to never lie. She took this to the extreme though. Her opinions, her feelings were cold and bitter at times. She didn't sugar coat anything. Some people say that's a good thing and for most things it is, but to me how she hurt me, any day she could just be outright mean and I'd love her through it. she'd tell me she didn't care about me. I knew she meant right now, or that's how she felt, but she never corrected herself. It hurt every time.

I forced myself not to think about it. the pain was too fresh, maybe in a decade or two I could handle everything that'd happened in my life, look at it analytically, see what I could have done different. Not right now, Not when I was still here looking at both of them with love in my eyes. I forced myself to stop thinking about that. Both of them were due any day. It was something I tried not to think about. Any day I'd be a father, and I didn't know what to make of that. I absolutely adored my niece but it's something completely different when it's your own child. I rolled my eyes back in to my head hoping for a reprieve from these thoughts and memories, but none was coming. I pushed my head harder in to the pillow and waiting for the release of sleep to take me.

**Mike's POV**

I was sitting on the back of a trailer as it drove down the road. The gate was up and I was leaning up against it. It was a flatbed trailer with a gate used as a ramp to load materials. I'd say four feet off the ground. Today's work out had been based around balance, and holding it. I still felt a pain with every breathe I took. My body was sporting far too many colors on the right side. If this was a real hayride I was glad I was wearing a shirt so no one could take advantage of my bruises. My bandaged up nose kind of left a very obvious target though. The first person climbed out of the back of the truck pulling the trailer, He looked like an athlete, reminding me Will Remer from my high school. High school seemed so long ago, it seemed like a dream… a dream I wanted to go back to, it was sickening I missed the bullying, the bull shit, and bad days. I forced myself to focus as he climbed over bales of hay. I always picked the worse times to let myself go on a mental tangent. He stopped in front of me and smiled as I picked myself up to my feet and leaned on to it.

"I know this is kind of weird but I'm supposed to explain these things to you before we start. Yeah I was asked to avoid your nose but I don't think we need to get physical here." I smiled it wasn't completely strange but definitely out of the ordinary, it was like a lion charging, but first stopping to go over etiquette.

"Basically I was told to beat you up and toss you off here… now if you just jump off I'll give you twenty bucks… I mean really it's a pretty good deal for you so why don't you just jump off?" If he only knew that wasn't really an option for me.

"How much money you getting paid for this?" I said making small talk. He smiled.

"Two hundred dollars, I figured I'd do you a favor." I laughed… he wasn't doing me a favor at all.

"You should have offered more…" I said rolling my eyes. He pulled his arm back and took a shot at my face. It was amazing the difference between people who knew how to fight and didn't. I easily moved out of the way his knuckles connected with the metal ramp behind my head. He pulled his arm back in pain I quickly moved and grabbed his hand using the same basic wrist manipulation I'd taught Embry. I turned his hand then gripped between his middle and ring finger and the area under his thumb and pulled it back. The pain from the manipulation plus his knuckles brought him to his knees quickly. He swung crazily at my face and I dodged it and grabbed it with my free hand. I let him back up to his feet then pulled his weight and lifted him up to my shoulders across them. I walked carefully over to the edge of the trailer then tossed his legs up and him off the trailer on to his back on the ground. I watched him bounce then roll away behind the trailer and heard the sound of someone else climbing out of the truck.

He was lean but didn't look like a wimp. If possible it looked like his body was hardened. He was tanned but it didn't seem like he went tanning, more like he worked outside. It gave that slight edge on him that I could just sense even if I couldn't see it. His balance was unsure at first as he stepped on but he regained it. He moved his center lower bending his knees to absorb any shock from the bumps of the road. This wasn't his first rodeo, from what I could see, it looked like he'd been on a hayride before as well. He eventually climbed over the bales and went straight for a grapple. He got his arms under me and I grappled back but he had better positioning and started to push from under my arms. I felt him get under and push. I let myself fall so he couldn't push me off the trailer. I pushed my chin to my chest making sure not to hit myself in the back of the head at impact. He landed on top of me and tried to grapple. He wasn't a trained fighter but that didn't mean he didn't know how to fight… it just meant he was about as good as I was at grappling, and he was probably less exhausted than I was. We both tried to get better positioning but neither of us knew extensive ground grappling technique. He got up to his knees first and I rolled to my back as he started to stand I placed my weight on my feet then pushed off pressing my shoulder in to his waist and running with my head up but body low like my years of football taught me. At the edge I stopped as he was pushed off the edge. I stopped and caught my breath. I didn't know how many people I could push off like this, this last one had made me exert an awful lot of energy to get him off the trailer.

I leaned up against the gate for support as I was quite exhausted. I wiped sweat off my brow, don't get in to another ground fight. As the next person climbed out of the truck my thoughts drifted to Tanya. _Not now damn it! _I thought to myself sizing him up. Nothing really stuck out about him. I couldn't decide where his weakness would lie or how he might fight. I knew why, because I couldn't stop thinking about Tanya… it'd always been like this but it never was such a glaring problem as right now. Yesterday I didn't have to try and focus I was just angry. Today it was different, now I didn't know if I was mad for the right reason. _What if she really was over Edward? What if she wasn't? How could I be mad for something I didn't know about? How could I be angry for something that happened before I was born? And how could-_ Before I could finish the thought I felt knuckles connecting with my cheek and I went down. I tried to recover but getting punched across the face isn't something to ever get used to. I felt a foot connect with my shoulder as I attempted to get up. I mentally forced my mind away from Tanya, before she got me killed. Quickly I spun over to my side on the ground then put my elbow down for support and started kicking him away. He came closer but I snapped a round kick to his knee hobbling him slightly he reached for me but couldn't get to me so he stepped forward. I snaked my legs around his ankles and swept him. He fell heavily on to the ground. I made it back to my feet I realized my back wasn't against the trailer gate anymore. He was getting up near the other edge of the rack. I took a couple prep steps as he got to his feet. I jumped through the air faking with my launching foot and kicking with my opposite foot flat against his chest sending him flying off the trailer. I almost fell off after him when we took a bump. I grabbed the gate to stop my own falling over remembering how exhausted I was. I looked at the gate. It looked self supported. I unlatched both sides of the gate and stopped leaning up against it, knowing if I did it'd fall open and start dragging on the ground.

The next person out of the truck was another muscular guy. He looked about six foot tall and muscled through and through. I'd guess as linebacker if I had to. With a small amount of pressure the steel gated fence would open to the ground. The best I could describe him was as angry, stupid football player. Granted I played football for five years I didn't think of myself as a football player. He climbed over the bales of hay and smiled before charging at me. His balance was actually really good for a big guy. He charged at me body low to the ground for a tackle. His focus was completely on my hips. I didn't know if I had the energy or the speed to jump him being that my hips would move before I jumped. I made a split second decision as he dropped his head. For a moment. I felt my body give out under me as I let myself fall flat to the ground. As he went running over I tripped him sending him shoulder and head first in to the gate. The gate opens quickly bouncing on the dirt road as the guy charging me rolled off the trailer. I breathed a sigh of relief wiping the sweat off my face. I had hoped that would be the last of them… I had hoped I'd be done for the day. I had hoped that today would be a break after yesterday… but I was wrong.

He emerged. I wasn't particularly happy that I remembered him.

"Hey punk ass, cracka." It was him, same guy from yesterday. I felt my blood boil. Through sheer force of anger I could feel energy coursing through my veins again. I took a deep breath with a technique I learned from martial arts. It gave me energy every time I did it and calmed me down. I rolled my muscles back in my shoulders forcing them to relax and with a couple deep breaths I felt energy running through my body again, I knew I was exhausted but I could keep going now. He was holding a baseball bat he hit it against his opposite hand softly. It was a black metal bat with "Hammer" on the side.

"Name's Damon, Cracka, seems like I won't just be in your nightmares." I groaned. I didn't have the energy to deal with him and it sure looked like he had the baseball bat to deal with me.

"Well Cracka, let's get it on, need to get a little revenge for yesterday… you made me look bad." I didn't respond I just took a couple deep breathes forcing the pain from today and yesterday out of my mind. I did my best to hide any pain lingering from yesterday. I stood up straight in spite of the pain shooting up my side. He took a swing and I stepped towards it and wrapped my arm around absorbing the painful strike. Caught his bat and fired with my left arm against his face staggering him for a moment but he didn't let go of the bat. He came back letting go with one hand and grabbing my nose. I screamed in pain as I backed up I wrapped my hands around my now resonating nose in pain. I started to get up but I was doing a much worse job of hiding the pain. My nose started bleeding again after his pressure on it. He swung the bat but there was nothing I could do to avoid it. I couldn't move quick enough. I screamed in pain as it connected with my already bruised ribs from yesterday and I fell down immediately. I began to get up but felt the bat connect with my lower back and fell flat on my face again, losing the motivation to get back up. I didn't try to resist. Every time I tried to move I was met with the metal bat. I did the only thing that seemed to work, I played dead. I didn't move when he kicked me with his leg. I didn't react. I just took it and moved as it would have me. He grabbed the back of my shirt and started pulling it off. That wasn't something I wanted him to do because it would show that I bandaged up my whole back but I didn't particularly want to get hit with a bat again so I feigned my unconscious state. I didn't help him he had to pull my arms up to lift the shirt off of me. I heard the bat drop from his hands and roll away. I opened my eyes and I could see the bat about six feet away from me. unfortunately in my current state I could barely make it that far, much less beat him to it.

"Oh, I though you white cracka's were supposed to be all superior and shit to us inferior races, come on punk, what the fuck?" I forced myself from laughing because that would all but give me away. He started ripping off my bandages.

"Heh, looks like my handiwork… come on white boy, try to fight back." He said before stomping on my back near my kidney. My body bounced and I clenched my teeth to keep from screaming.

"Looks like your upper back isn't purple enough for my liking." He said laughing. He started hitting my upper back. It was actually laughable. I'd always had a very strong muscled upper back and it stung but it didn't hurt. I heard him wince after he slapped my shoulder blade as hard as he could.

"Damn white boy what you packing? A fucking brick under your skin?" He said as I heard him wince again. I heard him rubbing his hands together then felt his hands under my arms. I figured he was going to try and throw me off. I stayed dead weight on him as he tried to lift. He pulled then dropped his body under me and wrapping his arms around under mine in a grip and lifted me up to my feet. Right about now is when I decided to stop feigning my state. I opened my eyes and I was face to face with him less than a foot away. He was surprised but didn't let go I smirked and pulled my head back before throwing it forward on to his nose shattering it. he stumbled backwards but I pushed forward pressing my body under his chest and lifting him in to the air. Instinctively his right arm wrapped around my head trying to choke me. I pulled my chin down to block it but it was still having an effect. Funnily enough I scratched my couple day stash against his arm for a while until he let go and I dropped him. With a bump I started falling to my knees and he grabbed me putting me in a headlock this time choking out my air. My vision started blurring again. my ability to think was going to. I lazily lifted my arm as quick as I could. My eyes were going. Everything was turning black… then slowly it released… Damon had backed up and was clutching bent over with his legs crossed trying to stand. My thoughts returned realizing that I had hit him pretty hard between the legs. I took a couple deep breathes digging deep to any left stamina I might have stored. I took a couple steps forward then grabbed Damon by the throat. Pulling down on his neck I got momentum and then lifted him in to the air with one arm. He hung in the air for a brief moment before I threw him on to the ground off the trailer. I fell backwards on to the hay out of exhaustion.

"At least it's over…"

**Embry's POV**

My body is growing stronger but not fast enough. I can take about five or six steps before collapsing. It feels like my body is shrinking… or maybe it's recovering… last week I couldn't walk at all but at least now with enough motivation I can make it all the way to the bathroom. Talking still hurts but nearly as much as it did last week, I haven't been able to get back on the drum set, but I've been playing more and more guitar.

"Hey, could I talk to you in private?" I nodded and followed her to the stairs. I carried myself down the stairs and found a chair only realizing once I got down there that I wouldn't be able to get back up. D wasn't moving very well either, but in her defense she was going to have a part vampire part werewolf child any day now. I looked up behind her and to see she'd closed the door behind her. I put it out of my mind looking in to her beautiful green eyes. Without even noticing I was hypnotized by her again. I'd fine the humor in this if it wasn't nearly pathetic. Something changed in her face slightly. She looked sad, like she was on the verge of tears.

"You always use lyrics… songs… to tell how you feel… and I can't say this so I guess I'll sing it…" D said as a single tear rolled down her face. I couldn't see a musical instrument but I looked for a guitar knowing how good she was with one. She didn't have one. Then she opened her mouth and started to sing.

"Remember all the things we wanted  
Now all our memories they're haunted  
We were always meant to say goodbye." She looked like she was fighting back tears. I had heard the song before but could place it. I felt a lump in my throat as she continued.

"Even with our fists held high  
It never would've worked out right  
We were never meant for do or die

I didn't want us to burn out  
I didn't come here to hurt you, now I can't stop

I want you to know that it doesn't matter  
Where we take this road someone's gotta go  
And I want you to know you couldn't have loved me better  
But I want you to move on so I'm already gone." Words got caught in my throat as she sang. I wanted to blame myself but she wouldn't let me. I wanted to think I could have fixed something, I could do something better… stopped myself from making a mistake I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.

"Looking at you makes it harder  
But I know that you'll find another  
That doesn't always make you want to cry." I wanted to tell her she was wrong but I wouldn't interrupt.

"Started with a perfect kiss then we could feel the poison set in  
Perfect couldn't keep this love alive  
You know that I love you so, I love you enough to let you go

I want you to know that it doesn't matter  
Where we take this road someone's gotta go  
And I want you to know you couldn't have loved me better  
But I want you to move on so I'm already gone

I'm already gone, already gone  
You can't make it feel right when you know that it's wrong  
I'm already gone, already gone  
There's no moving on so I'm already gone." Her eyes were red and puffy she was crying now but fighting through singing the song I resisted my urges to hold her, to make all this stop but it's what she wanted and I literally didn't have the strength to fight or argue even if I would.

"Already gone, already gone, already gone  
Already gone, already gone, already gone

Remember all the things we wanted  
Now all our memories they're haunted  
We were always meant to say goodbye

I want you to know that it doesn't matter  
Where we take this road someone's gotta go  
And I want you to know you couldn't have loved me better  
But I want you to move on so I'm already gone

I'm already gone, already gone  
You can't make it feel right when you know that it's wrong  
I'm already gone, already gone  
There's no moving on so I'm already gone." She sang finishing.

"Destiny…" I said fading off. She shook her head wiping tears from her eyes.

"No Embry, I can't anymore… I can't… I love you but I just can't…" She said before leaving up the stairs…

**Xavier's POV**

Tomorrow would mark the last day of Mike Iverson's life. He had two finals he had to pass though. He passed today with flying colors. He has surpassed all of my physical expectations for him, but it wasn't enough to save him. Hopefully tomorrow he'd pass another, much darker expectation for him… Murder.

**Carlisle's POV**

"This could be very very bad." I told Jacob understanding what he was saying. I saw what Layla showed me using Ness's power.

"We won't know anything for sure until Eleazar arrives and see's this for himself… He might not even know… We might be making a big deal of this and it's nothing." I was referring to something Jacob had brought up. His daughter Layla touched Mike before he was kidnapped and something happened… she gained some power but it was hard to tell he let go of her quickly… After that he never touched her again. Layla brought that memory up when we were talking about mike. She brought up that memory while she was in her mothers arms, taking her power. Ness told Jacob, and Jacob told me.

"Eleazar should be here any moment." Jacob said comforting me. I shook my head.

"No, He's already here." I said as the door opened. I smiled and greeted Eleazar with a hug.

"So where is this gem of a great granddaughter you keep telling me about?" He said with a warm smile. In a quick blur Layla appeared hiding behind Jacobs left leg. Eleazar smiled at Layla hiding behind her father.

"Layla you don't need to be afraid of this man, he's a friend of your grandfathers." Jacob said patting her gently on the head. She shook her head quickly.

"No no no! he's scary looking!" she said quickly without moving her face from behind her father's leg. Eleazar laughed gently of Layla's assessment of him. Ness appeared at Jacob's side and scooped Layla up in to her arms. Ness walked her over gently to Eleazar but Layla touched Ness's face using Ness's power. A smile escaped Ness's lips as she stopped in front of Eleazar.

"It's okay show him as well." Layla reached out and touched Eleazar. She got a headache soon after and pulled back to Ness.

"It hurts!" She screamed recoiling. Ness reached out and touched Eleazar giving him the memory from Layla.

"What could have caused that pain she experienced?" Jacob asked taking Layla from his wife. I looked at Layla for a moment then back at Eleazar.

"Maybe she took in Ness's and Eleazar's powers at the same time, giving her a headache?" Layla nodded with her eyes still snapped shut and hands on her head. When Ness removed her hand from Eleazar's forehead he nodded silently for a moment.

"I see… that's a very interesting manifestation…" Jacob was the most impatient.

"What does it mean?" I moved to calm Jacob down.

"Calm down Jacob…" I said putting an arm on his shoulder.

"Calm down? You realize one our friends was kidnapped for being our friend by a psychotic bastard who from what we've figured out is trying to turn him against us for fun, and will possibly change him in to a vampire AND now he might have a power which we know nothing about, and you want me to calm down!" I smiled slightly… seemed like he had a firm grasp on what we were dealing with…

"Yes… Yes I do Jacob… panicking won't make things better, just worse…"

"He was wrong…" Eleazar said as he pondering.

"What do you mean?" I said turning my attention back to him.

"I know some things about his power… Whatever it is it will be offensive… it will grow with time… and it will be very… very powerful."

**Those cliffhangers are for Fatallyyours… so if you're mad send you flaming torches and pitch forks to her… :-D well I'm finally done with another chapter… yeah yeah sorry about the D thing… pitch forks and torches back at me… well anyway Hope you liked it, hope you review, remember to give high fives, knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills and reviews here… I'm out.**


	28. Rebirthing

**Disclaimer: TDfireproof is not Stephenie Meyer… if the last 27 chapters and last how many books weren't enough notice… you are now told**

**Disclaimer Deuce: "All Talk, No action"**

**Xavier's POV:**

Today it was the final day… Mike's final exam, Darwin's law… it wouldn't be a fair fight, but life wasn't fair. Neither was death. One way or another it was all coming to an end. The other test was just a joke, he'd be up and out of the window as soon as he tried, I'd seen him do so many things that would have been a fantasy a month ago when we started. Granted he wasn't bad when he started… now he was a fighter through and through. The only thing left was that annoying sense of right and wrong that kept getting in my way. That would all end today… He'll realize how dark the real world is, how sadistic the average man is… and when he does, he'll be mine.

**Jacob's POV**

Yesterday we received the news that if Mike was turned he'll have a power and it had the potential to be extremely dangerous. I hadn't gotten much sleep. It's funny how I when facing off against vampires before I didn't have a care in the world. I had lost the woman I loved and while I worried for my father I didn't have to worry about anyone else. Now I was racked with fear knowing that the love of my life Ness could be in danger, and my Princess Layla was at risk. I couldn't sleep thinking about it. Finally I got out of bed as quietly as possible and made my way down to the front door. I felt my stomach growl and I groaned. I made my way to the kitchen and made myself a sandwich. As I turned around Ness was blocking the door.

"And where do you think you're going at three in the morning?"

"Just out for a run." I said lying before I knew I had.

"Sure you are…"

"I just need to look for Mike… do something… I gotta try you know? I don't want to be useless… maybe even if it's just for a little while.

"You are doing something here… You've got a young daughter who ages far too fast to miss any of the time." She was right of course… she had an uncanny habit of being right.

"I know but I want to help!"

"There are many vampires out looking for him, including the seasoned tracker Garrett… You don't know about tracking and the scent has gone cold weeks ago… How do you hope to proceed?" I shook my head stepping out the door.

"I just can't stand still right now hun… please understand." I turned back to her and kissed her softly on the lips before turning around to make a dead sprint in to the night.

**Mike's POV:**

I don't know why, but I severely missed playing the piano… I missed home… I missed being me. More than anything right now I just wanted to play some music. It was difficult, I always considered myself a drummer, but it's times like this when I missed the calm resonance of the piano. I'd always been able to calm myself down with piano music. It always brought me back to who I was when I felt the most unlike me. It always helped me to feel like everything would work out eventually. Maybe it wasn't that… maybe that no matter how everything changed I'd always be me… or something like that. I didn't know… Wasn't that a phrase that outlined my life… I don't know. I never understood why everyone was so different from me. It wasn't anything physical… It was just this... This thing they tried to call me. Fit me in to a box… it's like trying to fit everything through a square hole… but some things aren't squares… let's just try and push a bit harder… maybe that'll fix it.

"Open your eyes… you've been awake for a while." I heard Xavier call. I sat up then opened my eyes and turned my attention to him without asking the question on my mind. I wondered how long he'd studied the way I breathed when I slept. It was creepy. I tried not to focus on that.

"So what's on the agenda today?" I asked pushing it out of mind.

"You're jumping out the window today… and your final exam." I gulped. I held fast to the hope that I'd survive this. Maybe he would decide to spare me if I did well enough… I didn't know but he made it completely clear when we started. If I didn't get out the window I'd die. I got up quickly throwing on my sleeveless shirt. Bending over I threw on my shoes and tied them. I stretched my body rotary then my shoulders back and forth and cracked my neck. Yep, I was awake. I took three deep breaths in to focus me before breaking in to a dead sprint at the wall. Uncertainty plagued me as I got closer to the wall. My foot planted on the wall and my hands followed then the next step, then the next and soon without noticing my body was past the window. I forced my legs to stop, then push forward through the open window. As I fell I grabbed the top of the window then pulled myself out, Landing hard on the ground outside. I felt relief wash over me. I wouldn't die today… or at least that wouldn't be the reason I died.

"Your final challenge… will be tomorrow…"

**Xavier's POV**

"I need you to do something for me… or rather for yourself my friend." He said with a smile. His smiles were always disconcerting, Always making me uneasy..

"I need you to leave a phone message for Edward…. I'll record it." I nodded. Hopefully I'd live to hear myself say it again.

"Edward… Meet me tonight at the Quarry at midnight… come alone." I spoke in to the recorder. He waited for a moment then turned it off. I looked at him tentatively before he responded.

"All the pieces are put together, now all that is left is the last test."

**Embry's POV**

I needed to move… but I couldn't. I wanted to go for a run, just get away from D… I don't know why. Deep down I knew that we were a long shot. We were worlds apart. She wasn't part of my world. She didn't grow up hearing our legends… I must sound like a crazy freak to her. All she wants is a normal life and I'd rob that from her. Sitting right next to her I didn't feel right I just wanted to run but couldn't. I pushed the feeling down and out of me. There was just way too much going wrong right now. My body was different… I knew it was early but I needed to move around right now I couldn't sit with the two women I loved just a couple feet away from me but completely out of reach. I sat up as quietly as I could and clenched my teeth in pain seared on my stomach. Attempting to stifle any sound I looked over to D who is still sound asleep then back to Leah who hasn't stirred but her eyes were open. Immediately I wanted to be closer. This distance between us was frustrating. I closed my eyes a moment before throwing my legs over the bed and wiped the sleep out of my eyes. My eyes returned to hers and even in the dark I could see the beauty in them, those same eyes that I had stared longingly in to so many times… Here I was again the same place, doing the same thing. Forcing my attention elsewhere I got up to my feet. I stole a glance in to her eyes one more time before I left but what I saw stopped me. concern. She started to get up but I put my hand on her shoulder softly shaking my head.

"I'll be fine." I whispered quietly. _I'll be fine... What a load of bull shit._ Leah then preceded to give me a look that only she had been able to master. It was best described as 'you expect me to believe that bull shit.' I tried not to smile but failed. She sat up slowly.

"Are you sure you can do this?" I asked honestly. She rolled her eyes at me. Even though she was pregnant she still held the same intimidating manor.

"Better than you, I'm just pregnant, you're half dead." She taunted.

"Hey, I'm getting better." I said with a laugh. A real fear had surfaced though. I'd lost a lot of height. I was back down to six foot tall… I'd lost somewhere between seven to ten inches in height. This was made even more painstakingly clear as now Leah had four inches on me. She knew me too well… I didn't need to tell her I was worried about not being a wolf anymore, she already knew. It was possible that I might be able to shift again but I was an eternal pessimist. There was something far worse than that. Mike was kidnapped by a nefarious vampire whose sole purpose in death was to taunt me, make my life his little game, and kill me. We couldn't find him because there was too many of him to follow. Garrett was tracking one that was as far as Toronto Canada, and Edward and Emmett found a dead in Missouri and just now heading back. Tanya, and Kate were still on the trail in the Alexandria area of Minnesota. All of them trying to find him… but it was my fault he was gone. I was the reason he was taken. Xavier wanted to get to me.

"You got to me you sick fuck! Now let him go damn it!" I screamed out loud. Tears now started to flow down my face. Leah beside me put an arm on my shoulder for support.

"He's gone… he's probably already dead, and that's if we're lucky… if we're unlucky he's been turned and is being transformed in to a weapon to kill me… he's gone and it's my fault." I said breaking down in front of Leah. She shook her head next to me before pulling me in to a side hug.

"It's not your fault. The only person whose fault this is, is Xavier." I quivered with tears running down my face.

"I'm going to make that bastard pay… I swear I'm going to make that bastard pay." I said angrily

"In touch with the ground  
I'm on the hunt I'm after you  
smell like I sound I'm lost in a crowd.  
and I'm hungry like the wolf  
straddle the line in discord and rhyme  
I'm on the hunt I'm after you.  
mouth is alive with juices like wine  
and I'm hungry like the wolf" I reached down and grabbed my phone opening it.

"Yeah Jacob?" I said answering the phone.

"Where are you? Is Leah with you? What the hell are you doing out at this time in the morning." He pestered angrily.

"We just went for a walk calm down."

"Went for a walk? Xavier is out there and you can't defend yourself and Leah is pregnant! What the hell do you think you're doing!" The phone went dead. Not too much later I saw Jacob bounding towards us.

"I suppose it's time to head back… the warden has arrived."

**Mike's POV**

_Where's my fucking montage?_ I thought to myself. I'd worked my ass off this whole month, it was like I was a completely different person. Everything I'd done in the whole last month was aimed at making me a better fighter, getting me in better shape to be that guy. The excruciating aches and pains were now just a dull headache that is impossible to ever completely get rid of and I'd learned to live through it.

Xavier told me last night that I'd have my final fight against Damon today. I didn't like fighting. honestly it kind of scared me. At least with Damon I knew I'd win. He was a decent fighter but I was just better. He said it was my final fight. Maybe if I won he'd let me go. I was hoping for that but the constant state of fear I was in made me lean towards death instead of life. He was a vampire after all. Something nagged at me wondering if I'd die, Xavier never took anything extremely seriously. It seemed like everything could be described as a game to him. It was one of the worst things I feared about him. He had complete control and at any moment he could kill me, drink my blood dry… but at the same time I had this nagging want to trust him. _It's just that poison known as hope again. _I told myself as I made my way in to the room where my fight with Damon would take place. I'd been here before, so had Damon… it was where we first fought, but this time I wasn't in hand cuffs… This should be easy. Then I saw what the challenge was.

Damon stepped in through the door with a knife in hand and a dark smile on his face. His features had very dark intentions. The color faded from my face instantly. And I felt a strong pang of fear spreading from my body running my blood cold. I knew knife defense but knowing it and using it to protect yourself with is completely different. I apprehensively stepped back and put my arms up. My mind was screaming in fear but I forced myself to be controlled. I didn't want to die, I didn't want to get stabbed, if Xavier was really a vampire… he'd probably drink my blood if I got cut. I closed my eyes only for a split second forcing myself to focus. Being afraid wouldn't help me it would only hinder me. Logically it made sense but I couldn't push away the fear. I breathed out all my doubts. Then I broke in to a sprint towards Damon. I took a prep step then stepped to the left of him and lifting off the ground with a sweeping right legged jump. In mid air I cocked my right leg then released it with a quick side kick to his ribs and landed stepping away. I immediately looked for the door. I grabbed it and twisted but it was locked. Damon turned around clutching his ribs.

"That wasn't very nice." He said letting go and clenching the knife in his hand. He swung and I moved backwards to avoid the vertical strike from top to bottom. I tried to move but he was too quick and caught my left arm bone side with the knife. I stepped back and grabbed it trying to stop the bleeding. I kept jumping backwards narrowly avoiding his hacks and slashes. I found his rhythm. He pulled his arm back for a vertical slash down and as soon as is his hand got to his ear I jumped at him and caught his arm guiding his arm over my shoulder then throwing my hip back in to him and pulling down throwing him over me. He landed flat back. I twisted his wrist and hit it he dropped the knife and I picked it up quickly. I spun it backwards in my hand so the blade faced out with my pinky he tried to get back up but with my left arm I palmed his forehead and forcefully pushed his head back in to the ground. With the right top of my hand I knocked his chin up exposing his adams apple. I pulled my blade tucking it right under his adams apple without a second thought. I looked down at what I had done. A thin, shallow slit was made in his neck as I got up off him quickly regretting where I was going. _I was going to kill him._ I couldn't believe what my body naturally did without even thinking about it. I knew I didn't like knives but I knew how to use them I opened my hand to stare at the blade in my hand I threw it away from both of us. I didn't want to kill anyone. I heard a stirring on the ground.

"I'm sorry about that." I said as I turned around he came up quickly and I felt a sharp pain in my lower stomach, a hot feeling of cold metal entering my body. I gasped as he pulled the blade out of me and stabbed me low in the stomach again. This time I caught his hand before he could pull the blade out with my left hand. I wrapped my right hand around the back of his head and as hard as I could threw my head forward totally and utterly smashing his nose. He fell to his knees releasing his grasp on the blade that was in my stomach. I kept it there hoping it would keep more blood from coming out. He was hunched over I grabbed the back of his head by the hair and pulled his face up and pulled his face in to my fast approaching knee. Turning his head up I started to pummel him with punches even though I knew punching someone in the face was a bad idea, I couldn't care less I punched him repeatedly until I could barely make out his facial features and my knuckle were breaking and sore. I could barely stand now. In my exhaustion I didn't see his arm come up and rip the blade out of my stomach. I screamed in pain and finally tears started streaming down my face. The adrenaline dissipated bringing me to my knees, then finally to my side as I lay trying, in vain to stop the bleeding with both my arms. _So this is how I'm going to die _was my last conscious. My vision blurred until I could see a small blurry tunnel, giving away to the excruciating pain enveloping my stomach. The tunnel slowly closed until darkness took over… then in one quick moment I felt two cold small surfaces touch my arm… then a biting feeling… then a deep, hot, searing pain that made what I had just felt like a finger prick.

**Embry's POV:**

"Wait, what do you mean Leah's water broke?" I asked Rosalie. She gave me an incredulous look.

"You see when a woman is near the time they give bir-"

"No I understand the process, don't be a smartass." I interrupted her.

"Better to be a smartass then a dumbass." She smirked back. I made my way over to Leah's side. She was sweating and swearing profusely. Her attention turned to me.

"Could you make yourself useful and play some music or something?" she yelled clinching her teeth through the pain.

"Huh?" I said as Emmett stepped through the door. Rosalie greeted Emmett with a kiss, being he just got back from searching.

"She wants to hear some music, I guess." Rosalie commented. I made my way down to the basement and grabbed my guitar. I still hadn't started playing drums yet… I wasn't sure my body was ready for it… I wanted to but I never did anything half assed and I could seriously hurt myself if I strained to hard… I reached for an electric guitar, a spare… as crazy as it was. Everyone else took their respective spots.

"So what's on tap today?" Emmett asked putting his bass guitar on.

"Hey, do you guys remember, Rebirthing by Skillet?" Emmett and Jasper responded with a nod. Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"That's the group with the bad ass chick drummer, course I know it." She flipped sticks up in to her grip then moved to the drum set. Alice lifted up her electric violin queuing that she was ready. Alice started playing and soon Rosalie came in. I nodded my head and started strumming. Then starting singing after that.

"I lie here paralytic inside this soul  
Screaming for you till my throat is numb  
I wanna break out  
I need a way out  
I don't believe that it's gotta be this way  
The worst is the waiting  
In this Womb I'm suffocating" I stifled a laugh at the irony, but I did pick a song called rebirthing, what did I expect?

"Feel your presence filling up my lungs with oxygen  
I take you in  
I've died  
Rebirthing now  
I wanna live for love, wanna live for you and me  
Breathe for the first time now I come alive somehow  
Rebirthing now  
I wanna live my life, wanna give you everything  
Breathe for the first time now I come alive somehow  
Right now  
Right now" I yelled before I started head banging between verses. I was really getting in to the song.

"I lie here lifeless in this cocoon  
Shedding my skin cause I'm ready to  
I wanna break out  
I found a way out  
I don't believe that it's gotta be this way  
The worst is the waiting  
In this Womb I'm suffocating  
Pre-Chorus  
Feel your presence filling up my lungs with oxygen  
I take you in  
I've died  
Rebirthing now  
I wanna live for love, wanna live for you and me  
Breathe for the first time now I come alive somehow  
Rebirthing now  
I wanna live my life, wanna give you everything  
Breathe for the first time now I come alive somehow." I sang strongly.

"Tell me when I'm gonna live again  
Tell me when I'm gonna breathe you in  
Tell me when I'm gonna feel inside  
Tell me when I'm gonna feel alive  
Tell me when I'm gonna live again  
Tell me when this fear will end  
Tell me when I'm gonna feel inside  
Tell me when I'll feel alive."

Rebirthing now  
I wanna live for love, wanna live for you and me  
Breathe for the first time now I come alive somehow  
Rebirthing now  
I wanna live my life, wanna give you everything  
Breathe for the first time now I come alive somehow  
Right now  
Right now." I screamed and finished with a cough. We ended the song and I looked at the top of the stairs were Leah was leaning. She turned back and headed for the bed. I unplugged the cord and wondered where Mike was right now.

**Mike's POV**

Blood curling scream after blood curling scream escaped my mouth as I felt my body being decimated from the inside out. Every inch of my body felt as if it was forced to scream by this pain, it was unimaginable. I felt my insides being charred to a core leaving only the eviscerated remains. I didn't know how long I'd been screaming but it seemed like there would never be an end.

**Embry's POV**

Carlisle pulled the small crying boy from Leah and with a smile handed him back to Leah after cleaning him off.

"What's his name going to be?" Esme asked with a big smile that matched everyone else's in the room.

"Leonard… Leo… his name will be Leo." She said pulling him close. I wanted to feel happy for her. I did… but I always imagined watching her hold our child like that, moments after they were born. It was a fallacy on my part. I tried to push the thoughts out of my mind trying to focus on being happy for Leah. I wouldn't say a word. She deserved it. She had a beautiful baby boy and even if I always saw the child as mine in my dreams of the future it wasn't. I subtly slipped out of the room to be alone, I wouldn't ruin this for anyone else.

**Mike's POV**

All sane thought were slipping out of my head, the pain engulfing all that I am. I couldn't bear it, I didn't understand how but after so long I still managed to scream in pain at the renewed pain of each passing second. Death would be such a longing release from this hellish pain that now erupted through my body as if a fissure of lava flew through my veins.

**Embry's POV**

It was hard to believe that yesterday Leonard was born and today my child with D would be born. It all didn't seem real. I knew I was going to be a father, but here the time was and I wasn't ready… I wasn't sure I'd be a good father. What if I messed up? What if I said something wrong? What if I made a mistake? Where was the handbook for parenting? Any moment now I'd become a father. I was just glad that my mother was here. She'd get to meet her grandchild and hopefully help me be the father I'm supposed to be. I finally put out my fears and headed in to the room with D. I sat down next her in the chair she turned to face me.

"Okay now I'm going to need you to give a push." Carlisle instructed. D screamed as she did.

"You jerk! Look what you're putting me through! This is all your fault!" I held my hand out and she greedily grabbed it squeezing as tightly as she could.

"Push Destiny… come on." Carlisle encouraged.

"I don't believe it's all my fault it does take two-"

"Shut up!" she screamed. I heard a sound across the room then looked to see Leah smirking holding her Leonard in her arms.

"She's right you know, it's all your stupid fault." D nodded as she pushed again.

"Embry… sometimes women don't need to be correct to be right…" Jasper said. I wanted to argue the semantics but my focus came back to D nearly crushing my hand in hers. I wouldn't have noticed how strong she was if I was a werewolf. Her grip wasn't lost on me.

"Okay Destiny, please one last strong push." I felt her fingernails digging in to my hand I wanted to yelp in pain but I bit back that response. I saw the child for the first time… Carlisle brought him over to Destiny for her to hold him. Yes it was a beautiful green eyed boy. At that moment I knew this boy meant the world to me. I'd do no less than kill someone to protect him and so far his life achievements were listed as breathing and opening his eyes. That was enough for me. D looked at me and a tore my eyes away from our beauty baby boy that held all my attention. I looked in to her eyes that almost were a perfect match to our sons. I smiled then turned to everyone else watching.

"His name is Ayden."

**Mike's POV**

The pain was just fading away. Maybe I was being granted a merciful death. _Merciful wasn't the word after that hell._ The fact that I could think gave me the reassurance that I was still alive. I realized I was holding my breath… but I wasn't losing air. I didn't need to breath… I opened my eyes and saw everything differently. I could see everything clearly. Particles everything it didn't make sense. I didn't have any pain… any lingering pain. Then I felt it I breathed in and a scorching pain through my lungs, as if I hadn't drank anything in weeks. Thirst, _need… drink… need… now… _I heard the sound of a hand on a door knob, then it twist, with each separate mechanism clicking in and out of place. Then the slow creek of the door. The most mouth watering scent invaded my nostrils. _FOOD!_ Thought and jumped without a thought I sunk my teeth deep in to the food and started sucking liquid from it. After a while it stopped twitching and I finished. Only then did my blood haze lift… and only momentarily. I looked at the mass I had bitten in to, realizing that it was a living creature… then a human… I ran my hand across my teeth then brought it in front of my face. _I had drunk his blood_. Then I realized what I was… what I never wanted to be. I was a vampire. I looked at him as I turned him over. My eyes widened with recollection. _Damon! _ I looked up to the door where he had came to see Xavier standing and applauding.

"Bravo, bravo! Great show young boy. There is hope for you yet! I must admit I was worried at first, but you have passed your test you failed three days ago. But you passed with flying colors." A deep growl escaped my throat then I lunged at him, hands out. I dug my fingers in to his chest and I tackled him through a cement wall. I felt two sets of hands pulling me off him restraining. I roared at him as two more of him held me back.

"I'm just congratulating you… you've done a splendid job." I reached back with my restrained right arm and grabbed a hand full of his hair and threw him across the room. I grabbed the other one holding on to me with both hands and chucked him through the wall behind me.

"I guess you need to be taught a lesson…" The final one standing said with his arms crossed. I lunged at him and he side stepped with his arms still crossed. His knee connected with my stomach bending me over in pain. Then I felt the heel of his foot connect with the back of my head and fell flat on my face. I felt feet kicking me and stomping on me. All three of them now were being on my back and head. I clenched my fists and tightened my body then just released it all. For some reason they weren't attacking me anymore. I got back up to my feet and Xavier was in front of me and on either side of me. He looked confused for a moment, then spoke.

"Your training begins… now. Soon you'll be able to kill Edward for ruining your life."

**That's that… Remember folks, Reviews make the world go ground, so leave knucks, high fives, rolls of twenty dollar bills and reviews. The countdown begins, these are the last chapters of the story. What will happen? Will Embry find true love? Will Mike exact his revenge on Edward? Tune in next time next time to find out to "What Fate took from Embry."**


	29. Folsom Prison Blues

**Disclaimer: No, Seriously though, Burn Notice = Legit… oh yeah and I'm not Stephenie Meyer**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Hey, Fatallyyours… it's your turn to update…**

**Mike's POV:**

_Thirsty… Blood…. Tasty…_ It was my range of emotion. I knew I missed my family, I missed music, and regrettably I missed Tanya and Rosalie, but it didn't matter to me. The truth is I didn't care. The only thing that had driven me was my overwhelming thirst for blood, and the sweet taste of revenge. For the past two weeks all I'd done is fight. Two weeks of fighting, since I'd been turned that's all I have done. I'd fought Xavier for roughly twenty three of the hours a day every day. It dragged on. There is only so many new ways to kill a vampire, I'd lost count on how many times I'd killed Xavier, somewhere between fifty and a hundred times. It's lost its brilliance, it's touch. We read each other move for move. This was my first real break I'd had in fighting. He gagged me and plugged my nose and stuffed me in to the back of a car. I did know where we were now though, Hoyt Lakes. I had heard of it before. It was a small town in north eastern Minnesota, an hour north of Duluth. I heard the door opening in the driver's side. I pulled the gag and nose plugs out, both were put in to resist blood. The last thing I needed to do was make a scene. The trunk opened and I stepped out. It was 11 p.m.

"Welcome to your test of the day." Xavier said presenting a fenced in area.

"Climbing a fence?" I said lowering my eyes, this was below me.

"No.. heh… no, no, no, no! Your challenge is inside." He said with a grin before running up the wall and jumping over. Intrigued I followed him. Over the fence there was a high shelf. I landed on it slightly earlier than I expected. I didn't think there would be anything up against the wall. I examined the area at my feet. Large panels of wood. My eyes scanned the area. It seemed like a lumber yard from my vantage point.

"Lumber yard?" I asked not quite understanding why we were here.

"Actually the back end of a Menards, Hermantown to be precise. This is their supply yard. The game is rather simple actually." He said beckoning me down to the ground level. Landing softly on my feet from the jump I stood up slowly.

"So what's the game?" He smiled pointed to the gate at the opposite side of the yard.

"Get to the opposite side… easy right?" He said with a humored smile. There was something else there though. This wasn't going to be nearly as easy as he led on.

"There are a couple… addendums… no jumping like a Vampire… that just wouldn't make it fun… but regardless I did take care of the cameras… so for the games sake if we could only jump like we could if we were human… well that would just make this game swell!" I laughed without humor. I wasn't sure where I stood but I figured it was better for him to believe I was at ease around him.

**Embry's POV**

I watched my son play with Layla and Leonard. _My son._ I thought to myself it was so amazing. I'd been a father for two weeks now and I still couldn't get over it. I smiled as I watched Leonard and my son arguing. It didn't surprise me. Rick's and my son's would fight. Leah smiled as she saw me watching them and walked over to me.

"Amazing aren't they?" Leah said smiling. I nodded in response.

"It appears ours aren't getting along." I said with a smile. She smiled and turned away from the kids putting her face near mine to whisper.

"And they never will… They both like Layla." She pulled away and laughed at my surprised expression.

"It's true… I don't think they'll ever really like each other." I watched Leonard knock over the tower Ayden was building with telekinesis. Leonard was very good at it already. I barely noticed him lift his hand to use it. Leonard got up and started to walk away as if he did nothing. Ayden pressed his hand to the ground and I saw the ground around his hand form a small ice patch which expanded to right where Leonard would step, then I watched him slip and fall. Ayden quickly made the ice path disappear. Leonard got up and turned to Leah and I pouting.

"Did you see what he just did, he tripped me!" I almost spoke up but Leah grabbed my arm to ward me off.

"Yeah, he did… but you knocked over his blocks first." He looked away like he got his hand caught in the cookie jar.

"But… but… but…"

"Go to the basement to think about what you did, and no playing instruments!" Leah said firmly. Leonard left but was complaining under his breath. Once he was gone I turned my attention to Ayden who knew he was in trouble. Layla also had turned to watch.

"I know what I did was bad… but he's so mean to me… I try to play nice but… he's mean… I want to be his friend but…" He turned his attention to Layla for a moment then quickly turned back to me blushing. _I can see what Leah was saying… he does like her._

"And… and… whenever I want ta play with Layla… he's mean and only plays with her!" Layla walked over next to Ayden.

"Did I do something wrong?" She asked politely.

"No Layla, you did nothing wrong." I answered.

"Well Ayden… go up to my room… it's not nice to trip people." He nodded sadly and made his way up the stairs.

"But it is funny…" I said continuing my sentence. Leah elbowed me in the ribs.

"Hey, ouch… I'm fragile, handle with care!" I said feigning more pain then I was actually in.

"Yeah yeah…" Leah said rolling her eyes. Edward entered the room with a less than enthusiastic look on his face.

"He is here…" Edward said as almost a snarl.

"He's lucky Jasper wasn't the one who found him…" I immediately tensed realizing who he was talking about. I felt my fist clench at my side. Leah saw me out of the corner of her eye.

"I'll take care of it." Leah said calming me down. I didn't know how I felt about all of this. It was hard to deal with. I kind of expected her to work things out with her boyfriend, maybe it was my health that was her concern. I didn't understand I noticed she smiled at me before leaving out the front door. I sighed watching out of the window as she started out towards her boyfriend. I guess everything we could have isn't the same as having a child with him. I couldn't just sit here… I needed to do something. I grabbed the guitar and started strumming. I closed the door behind me. This wasn't a side of me my son needed to see. I knew the song would make me miss Mike but I sang it anyway. He showed me this song a couple years ago. His voice was slightly more apt to sing Johnny Cash… and he had a higher range too. Really when I thought about it he was just a better singer. I laughed to myself, he wouldn't say so.

"I hear the train a comin'  
It's rolling round the bend  
And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when,  
I'm stuck in Folsom prison, and time keeps draggin' on  
But that train keeps a rollin' on down to San Antone..  
When I was just a baby my mama told me. Son,  
Always be a good boy, don't ever play with guns.  
But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die  
When I hear that whistle blowing, I hang my head and cry..

I bet there's rich folks eating in a fancy dining car  
They're probably drinkin' coffee and smoking big cigars.  
Well I know I had it coming, I know I can't be free  
But those people keep a movin'  
And that's what tortures me...

Well if they freed me from this prison,  
If that railroad train was mine  
I bet I'd move it on a little farther down the line  
Far from Folsom prison, that's where I want to stay  
And I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away... " I finally looked up as I stopped singing. No one was there. _Good_. But that didn't mean no one was listening.

**Jasper's POV**

He was waiting on the edge of the lawn, but not on it. _He took my threat seriously… good._ Leah didn't appear to be happy to see him. She walked with an angered confidence that few had been able to master as well as her.

"Hey hun." He said trying to be smooth.

"Don't hey hun me. What do you want?" She said crossing her arms angrily.

"I want to meet my son… why are you so angry still?"

"Still? Still!" she said yelling.

"You almost killed my ex!" exclaimed.

"What's the big deal, he's alive isn't he?" He said nonchalantly. _Bad idea… you're sleeping on the couch._ I even smiled here.

"What do you mean he's alive? That makes it okay! I can't believe you..." She said turning and walking away. He started to follow but I moved in front of him. He stopped immediately but was frustrated.

"Looks like you put your foot in your mouth and didn't very much like the taste." I said taunting him. I felt my feet lifting off the ground._ Wrong decision._ I used a blast of melancholy on him weakening him for a moment. I took three strides towards him then planted my fist in to his stomach right under his rib cage. I wrapped both my hands around the back of his head and pulled him down while I launched my knee up to his face. The impact threw him off the ground backwards. He got back to his feet, this time off our property.

"I didn't kill this time either… guess it's the young ones… consider yourself lucky."

**Embry's POV**

"Hey what was the deal?" I asked as Leah walked in angrily. I got up to try and help her. She wrapped her hands around the collar of my shirt and pulled me to her and covered my mouth with hers. I was slightly shocked but returned the kiss when we finally broke apart my mouth was hungering for her again.

"Hey… Not that I didn't enjoy that… and well… you can do that whenever you want… but why now?" I said trying to keep it light but I wanted an answer.

"That bastard wanted to…" She grumbled without finishing her sentence. I knew I should stop her… I knew my 'pride' should dictate me being stronger and not bending to her whims, but I couldn't. I stared in to her eyes for a moment before pulling her back to me and kissing her again, passionately. After we had to stop for air I pulled away from her a bit and looked her in the eye.

"Where does that leave us now?"

"I don't know."

**Mike's POV**

"Hmm." I said out loud before turning back to the large shelve system I jumped down from. I climbed the metal framework but Xavier got a hold of my shirt yanking me down behind him. Flipping I landed in a crouch on my hands and feet. I ran my shoulder in to the back of Xavier's hip and tackled him in to the metal structure. He fell to the ground. As soon as he started falling I turned and ran to the pallets of wood, seeing Xavier in the distance.

If we weren't going to jump like we were vampires, the higher I was the safer I'd be. Running I jumped to the next pallet then the next. The next one I climbed up because it was ten feet in the air. I ran and jumped to another just slightly higher. The Xavier I threw up against the steel shelving was hot on my tail and the other was making his way up the other side of the line of pallets. I saw a third running from another side, intent on climbing up the pallet I was on.

I turned my body to the front, looking over my shoulder where Xavier was coming from. Xavier jumped up to the pallet landing on the edge of it. I moved my leg across the other then launched the most powerful sidekick I could squarely on his chest. He fell back to the pallet he came from on his back.

I turned around quickly to face the Xavier coming from behind me. He blocked my punch to his chest away with force. I followed it throw with a strong straight legged spinning log kick. He leaned backward putting his hand on the ground for balance then pushed himself back up. I knew this is why I hated punches. I threw an open palm strike towards his head which he blocked up throwing me off balance, but at the same time exposing his midsection. I threw my other hand connecting with his lower stomach.

He was pushed back but not even staggered. He came back with a punch coming at my head. I side stepped putting my elbow up and hand covering my head. The ridge of my arm hit his wrist I saw my opening and fired another punch this time trying to hit his solar plex.

I heard the sound of the guy I previously knocked down jump back on to the pallet. I looked away for a moment at the guy behind me. I bent my elbows blocking the Xavier in front of me's punches, then lifted a knee to stop a round kick aimed for my hip. I threw another side kick at the second one behind me as I threw a punch connecting with the one in front of me.

The second caught my foot and held is grinning. I turned to face the Xavier I just hit with a punch blocking a couple more of his punches. I saw him prepping to drop his weight, he was going to try and sweep my one leg. I pulled my weight down first getting the Xavier holding my foot to bring it down just slightly. Then I launched in to the air as the first one swept the area under my foot. My free foot connected with the bridge of Xavier's nose. He fell as did I.

I fell flat on my back and saw the head of a third Xavier climbing up the pallet. I got to my feet by the time his arms came up and punted his head letting the top of my foot catch right under his chin, sending him ten feet off and away from the pallet. I turned back to the first Xavier to receive a punch across the jaw dazing me. I noticed the one on the ground I had kicked as I staggered back.

I felt the first one's arm catch my opposite shoulder of my shirt. I grabbed at arm to hold on as he swept me. Pulling through and going with the momentum I flipped backwards on his arm. I dropped my weight still holding on to the arm bringing him down with me. I pulled my knees to my chest and caught my feet in his chest pulling him over then throwing him behind me on to the ground next to the third Xavier.

The second one now standing took a swing at me but I ducked back and got on my back elbow for leverage. I kicked the side of his knee as hard as I could dropping him down to one knee. I reached out and pushed myself back up to my feet. He started to stagger up to his feet but I caught him with an axe kick on the side of his face dropping him back down to the ground.

I reached back with my arms then threw my shoulder back throwing me in to the air forward and to my feet. I jumped off the pile of wood in the opposite direction of the two I pushed off. I ran towards a drive through barn.

I wanted to wall run but there wasn't a solid wall to run on. I managed to get two steps before turning to the opposite side of the hallway in to the drive through barn and jumped at it catching on the metal shelving. I climbed the rest of it as quickly as possibly knowing Xavier wasn't far behind me. At the I looked to the end of the shelves and saw a walkway with a handrail, it looked strong flat, and made of wood… it'd work fine. I bounded three steps then leapt over. I was going to make it but barely. The balls of my feet landed then slipped in to the arches of my feet.

I turned in time to see Xavier running to make the same jump I did, possibly hoping to tackle me in mid air. I crouched prepping for my strike. As he neared I jumped throwing my body back. My legs were curled to my chest, I was parallel to the ground as he came closer. At the last moment I launched my feet out in a double side kick to his chest. Both connected throwing him backwards and me off the railing landing on the ground next to it. I jumped back on the railing watching the second Xavier run up the railing at me from one side of the pull shed.

I turned over my shoulder. The second one wasn't on the railing but was running up the opposite side. _Three on one doesn't really favor me does it?_ I thought to myself. I started sprinting towards the one on the railing. Maybe if I could knock him off I could deal with the third independently but the plan didn't show merit… I needed to get to the other side of the lumberyard and fast.

I knew he'd dodge my first kick, I'd learned a long time ago in martial arts you don't plan on hitting him with the first, or maybe even the second strike, they set you up for the third, the fourth, and possibly the fifth, sixth, and seventh. I jumped with a jump front kick with a fake. He blocked away the fake kick then moved out of the way for the kick. He was bent over leaning to my right. I threw a back hand just to get him to bend over backwards, his upper body parallel with the ground, if it was anyone else, simply dodging that attack would have dropped their balance and they would have fallen off. Not Xavier, not a vampire. I threw my third attack that had no purpose but to set up, a spinning hook kick. He didn't move he didn't come up. I landed with left hand forward as he finally started to come up. I struck with a hooking palm strike catching him in the mouth and knocking him off the railing.

I felt a cold hand wrap around my ankle, then a sharp pull. I got my bearings in midair and landed on my feet. I saw a low kick coming and I pulled my knee up to block the kick, quickly putting it down throwing a straight punch. He absorbed it, not even trying to block the blow. I saw why quickly as a haymaker connected with the side of my jaw throwing me off balance.

I came back just in time to feel the impact of strong punch to the stomach. I staggered backwards trying to lessen the pain. I'd forgotten about the second Xavier I had knocked down not too long ago, but now he was up and he grabbed me, trying to restrain me, hands at my side.

I crouched slightly and threw both of us backward in to a wall. His grip loosened enough for me to throw an elbow to his ribs. I'd forgotten about the Xavier who just punched me who connected with another haymaker. I got all of the punch but quickly got an arm under the second Xavier's elbow. He was still trying to hold on to me from behind but I managed to get behind him and flip him at the other Xavier.

That would buy me some time, but not much. Worse than that was the one I kicked away was climbing up very quickly. I started running and jumped back on to the rail. One Xavier was getting up back on to the rail less than fifteen feet behind me, it didn't give me much of a head start. The other two had taken different routes. I leapt off the railing and fell to the ground, with a roll. As I finished the roll I came back up to my feet. I jumped at the shelving on the opposite of the rail. I climbed quickly as possible hearing Xavier getting closer on the rail. I looked in the distance as I climbed trying to make a plan.

Once I finally reached the top of the shelving I stumbled on a very long board. I picked up the 8' by 12' and wondered if my plan would work; it was the kind of shit I saw in movies… I had no clue if it'd work. Realizing how close behind me Xavier was I didn't really give it a second thought. I charged at the opening. The jump I wanted to make I could easily do as a vampire… but it was one of our rules. I ran with the end of the board as if it was used for a pole vault, I suppose in some regards it was. I jumped with the board. I pushed it down and tried to place it. It landed standing on the ground but it'd fall over soon. I landed on it with my right foot then before it fell I used it as a good point and jumped again. I was almost flailing with my arms but I did get a hold of the top shelf and pulled myself up. I turned around to see Xavier staring at me, then he started clapping.

"Nice move Mike... nice move." Xavier laughed. I turned back to the shelving. It was up against the wall, and at the end of it was the gate… but it was probably fifty to a hundred yards away. I started running. I knew it wouldn't be that easy it never was. I started running and saw Xavier climbing up the shelving between me and the exit. He stood smiling when I got to him.

"Nice moves Mike, but you're not getting out of here." He moved forward lifting his knee for a kick. I stepped in quickly forcing his knee back down with a low block, he fell backwards off balance for a moment. I was under him and I shot my palm up under his chin sending him in to the air. He was coming back in to the air. I took two steps forward and as he came back I launched a round kick as hard as I could, throwing him against the wall.

He was still up against the wall I ran by and jumped with a fake, launching a side kick to his chest, the impact of being against the wall knocked him flat to the ground. I stepped then tried to leave but I felt his hand pull me down. He wrapped both arms around my left leg. I kicked his hands but it didn't faze him. I lifted my leg and brought it down as hard as I could it connected with his face and his fingers released. I slipped out as fast as I could and ran the rest of the distance to the gate.

I jumped down on the outside of the gate. Xavier jumped out after me, then two more of him joined him.

"Well well, good show… So you think you've won? Xavier asked. I felt energy on my finger tips of my right hand. I moved it slightly behind my back while the energy became a small ball and growing. Soon it was the size of a softball. I stared him down. I guess I could only kill him for so long before he really tried to kill me. His expression was stern, then I saw a smirk, then a laugh.

"Wow Mike, you need to loosen up a bit. You're too tight, that won't do, no no no, just relax. I was just having a little fun… try smiling… it scares people." He said with a dark overtone. He was a creepy as hell.

"We're done for the night… let's get back to the complex."

**Embry's POV**

I had tried very hard to forget about what happened this afternoon. I'd gotten good at doing that. She said she wanted to think about it and would talk to me about it soon. I believed her, currently something else bugged me though. The boys had been put down for a nap and now Leah and I were out on the deck talking. I was trying to relax but something had been bugging me. It hadn't been to big considering the context of a friend of mine being kidnapped but it still was getting to me. Leah noticed it… but she always noticed things.

"So what's up?" She said reclining further back in her chair.

"Just some things I've been trying to figure out about Ayden." I responded… she fixed me with a questioning look.

"What do you mean, 'some things I've been trying to figure out about Ayden?' He's your son what is to figure out?"

"I understand that Leonard can use telekinesis because your boyfriend does too." I tried to hide my aversion to calling him her boyfriend, and she tried to act like she didn't notice it.

"But Ayden can make fire and ice through physical contact… he can't shoot it but I could never do anything like that." I asked. Carlisle stepped out quietly.

"Pardon for eavesdropping but I've got an idea as to why." I nodded looking to Carlisle.

"Well, Werewolves have very very warm skin… and Vampires have very cold skin… now this is all speculation but if the Vampire and werewolf genes were fighting to control the child as a fetus then it's plausible that they could throw each other out of control… or in to control, or to controllable extremes… but that's just my theory…" I nodded, I wasn't sure I could wrap my head around it but it almost made sense…

"I don't suppose there is a way to check or figure this out?" Carlisle shook his head.

"No… half mortals being born… and even for half mortals, Ayden's situation is abnormal… I mean we're assuming he's a half mortal…"

"He's strong like one, fast like one, and is growing like one." I explained.

"Yes… and I believe he is all those things… but… there is some things about being a half mortal I don't understand…" Carlisle said as his voice faded away.

"I guess we'll have questions then. We don't even know everything about Ness." Carlisle concluded.

"I guess we'll just have many questions that time will only answer." I turned outward to the distance wondering about Embry. I felt a warm hand on my shoulder.

"Whatever happens… We're going to be here." She said warmly. I tried to be comforted by those words, but I wasn't ready for 'whatever happens.' I knew something was going to happen sooner or later. Xavier made his move… He wouldn't end it here… He would use Mike against us. That thought kept me up every night.

**Yeah it's done. That chapter is done anyway. I don't think I've written a longer fight scene. Originally I was going to make the third place a longer fight, but after fighting for a couple thousand words you're kind of tired of fighting. You picking up what I'm putting down? You sniffin' what I stepped in? Wow, one year. I thought I'd be done with this story much sooner than this. I guess everything isn't avoidable. I'd like to get back to posting weekly. It's a tall order, but posting every two to three weeks isn't good enough for me. I want to post more, or I'll never finish my story. One year today… mozeltoff. This story took on a life of it's own, as well… all my stories do. They do tend to get carried away, I thought it'd be maybe a 50,000 word story, and now it's over 100,000 Thanks for the reviewers who've pushed me to keep writing even with there was only two of you, I couldn't have kept writing without the encouragement. Well it's been a good year. I need to get back to finishing my other stories. Remember, reviews make the world go round. So Review, high five, knucks, rolls of twenty dollar bills…**


	30. Nightmare

**Disclaimer: Hold my breath as I wish for death, oh please God wake me! and as a side note, I'm still not Stephenie Meyer**

**Disclaimer Deuce: Now your nightmare comes to life.**

**Edward's POV**

I looked down at my phone seeing that I had one message. I had ignored a phone call I didn't recognize, apparently they left me a message.

C The line went dead. If my blood could have run cold it would have. I listened to the message three more times to see if there was anything I missed. _Nothing._ I told Tanya she was overreacting when she said he was coming for me. _She was right_. I didn't like it, it didn't match up. He was still a human, how did he possibly escape Xavier as a human. _Maybe he didn't escape at all._ I thought to myself. _This is obviously a distraction._ I dialed Tanya.

"Tanya, you're going to want to come back to the house now." I said before she could interrupt me.

"What is it Edward, I'm kind of busy looking for someone." She said annoyed. More than anything Mike being kidnapped wore on Tanya. He was with her when he was kidnapped. She felt responsible for it.

"I'm meeting Mike tonight." I interrupted

"And more than that… wait what?" She said mid sentence.

"He called me, told me to meet him at the quarry tonight, midnight."

"Was he human?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes… but there some other complications… why… why would Xavier let him go after playing hide and seek with us for so many months." I answered.

"I'm coming back now, and you better tell Rosalie."

**Emmett's POV**

"Edward… Meet me tonight at the Quarry at midnight… come alone." Edward played his message again, Tanya, Rosalie, Edward, Bella, and me listened carefully.

"It's him… no question, and his voice… he isn't a vampire, but I don't like this… it seems to good to be true." Rosalie said suspiciously.

"It's him we can't ignore this!" Tanya said almost yelling.

"I know… I want it to be true, I want it to be him, but it's more likely a trap set by Xavier." Rosalie explained.

"I know that, but what the hell are we going to do about it?" Tanya asked.

"_We_ aren't going to do anything, _I_ will go meet him." Edward said forcefully. I laughed quietly, but not quietly enough that Edward didn't turn and scowl at me.

"Oh come on Eddie, you really expect Tanya and Rosalie to kick back while you go meet the guy they've been trying to locate for two months?" I said laughing. Edward turned back to Tanya.

"I need to meet him alone, he said to meet that way." I shook my head.

"Eddie, I'm not letting you do that… because I need to know what happened to a friend of mine, now considering both Rosalie and Tanya was closer to him than I was, you're shit out of luck." He leered at my use of his name.

"And I'm coming too!" Bella piped in.

"Bella… I really… don't think that's a good idea." I said before Edward was forced to. He gave me a slightly thankful look.

"If my husband is going to be in danger I'm coming." She said looking in to his eyes with a pleading look. _Shit, Edward hasn't been able to say no to that look… we've always forced it before._ Knowing that Edward couldn't argue any points, valid or invalid at this point I stepped up.

"Bella… don't worry about it. Rosalie, Tanya, and I will all be there, We'll look after him." I said trying to comfort her.

"I was forced to sit out the last time we had this argument I won't do it again." She said making reference to the Werebear problem that seemed so long ago.

"There were valid reasons for it before, and there are good reasons for it right now, I didn't get to go that time either." I reminded Bella.

"Yes, but you're going in now. So am I." Bella said firmly.

"Bella… look around, we're good friends of Mikes and let's face it, Mike never was too keen on you." I tried to remind her subtly. I was hoping she wasn't making the same connection I was, but I doubted it. As soon as she did there would be no way we'd escape.

"Neither was Edward… in fact… I think Edward was the only one he disliked more than I." She said putting the pieces together.

"Yes, but he asked for him alone." Tanya explained.

"And how doesn't that put him in danger? Bella argued.

"It does, but we'll all be there." I said trying to calm her down.

"Yes, we will." She said firmly.

"I'm telling you this is a bad idea…" Tanya warned.

"I don't care." Bella said defiantly. There would be no arguing with her now.

**Mike's POV**

I was in position, on the top of a high ledge, rock formation. My back was to the cliff, to the water below. Now all there was left was to wait. My mouth was watering with anticipation, or maybe it was just my thirst. Finally this mess would be resolved, I'd deal with Edward and I could be with Tanya. All there was now was waiting. This moment had been my goal for the last two months. Finishing high school seemed like a crazy idea, it seemed so far away, where my life would lead I didn't know but after I cleaned up this mess and I could control myself I would go back to my family. I'd be part of my family I dearly missed again.

**Edward's POV**

I didn't want Bella to come here. Really I wanted to come alone but I wouldn't even say a word to Tanya. I thought about asking Tanya not to come, but quickly dismissed the idea as laughable. She was anxious. I couldn't blame her. We were a couple minutes early. He didn't give me directions where in the Quarry. The park was a couple miles long. Luckily we found him by the lack of scent I figured he hadn't moved in a while. We followed it up to the opening. Sitting cross legged head down was a person. He was wearing white martial arts pants, a dark blue belt, and a white plain hooded sweatshirt, hood up. His head was leaned over his body. I listened to his thoughts but they were labored. He was concentrating on nothing particular. Whoever he was he knew my power. I turned my attention to Tanya hearing her thoughts.

_"That's Mike"_ she thought looking at me. I shook my head slightly. Mike was more heavily set. His body shape was heavily disguised by the baggy hooded sweatshirt but I could see the outlines of heavily muscled arms. No, she just saw Mike because she wanted to. Whoever he was he was here for me. I stepped out of wooded area. The rest stayed hidden, back far enough that they couldn't be seen or smelt. I took a couple more tentative steps feeling out his reaction. He made no movement. His mind still betrayed no knowledge of me, though if he was a vampire there was no possible way he didn't hear me. I was standing less than a foot in front of him now and he had yet to react. I reached for his hood and pulled. It was coming to easy and I felt him lifting his arms and pulling out of it. I started to see thoughts in his head but my hand was still on the hooded sweatshirt and couldn't get away fast enough. I felt a cold hand wrap around my throat and lift me in to the air. I heard a rustle in the leaves.

_"No, Bella! Don't do it!"_ I heard in Emmet's mind. Quickly I wrapped my legs around the attackers arm. He tightened his grip on my neck but didn't pierce my skin. His eyes shot over to Bella coming out of the brush. He slammed my body, which was wrapped around his arm on to the ground loosening my grip. I let go with my arms in legs dazed for a moment. He lifted me back in to the air and threw me to the side.

**? POV**

Bella was charging at me. I relished this, this all felt too good. My primal were instincts having a banquet of raw violence. She wore the same instinctive look on her face. I licked my lips in anticipation. I never remembered wanting to hurt her before but now nothing sounded like a better idea. I charged her grappling with her. I easily over powered her throwing her away. She charged back at me and I clenched my fist and struck with a short punch to the stomach. She bent over in pain. I put my hands together and with as much force as possible I used a golf type swing with both my hands connecting with her head from beneath it. I smirked as I watched her body fly across the opening in to a tree. I heard Edward charging.

"What are you?" He asked yelling at me. He threw a straight punch I managed to block away, then a low kick I blocked with my knee. I smiled.

"It's… your… fucking… nightmare."

**Edward's POV**

A dark smile spread across his lips. His eyes like blood red garnets under the black mask.

"It's your fucking nightmare." I started to realize he was a new born. He didn't fight like one though. He sounded kind of like Mike, but it couldn't be him. He was completely different. Tanya was wrong. Besides she backed up before I took his hooded sweatshirt off she never saw much of him. I threw a flurry of punches and kicks he barely blocked them but through it I saw he wasn't an amateur. I connected with a punch off of a counter I read from his thoughts that pushed him backward. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bella getting up and charging at the person I was fighting.

**Tanya's POV**

_No, no, no! _As I saw Bella charging after the masked man I thought was Mike. It was a dumb idea. Whoever he was he was a better fighter than Bella. I ran to stop her.

"Bella, stop." I said blocking her way.

"He'll hurt Edward!" She screamed.

"Edward can take care of himself." I assured her. She shook her head.

"No, I'm not letting him hurt Edward!" she whined. She tried to run past me but I stopped her tripping her up. She came up to punch me with an uppercut but I easily maneuvered out of the way.

"You really think you can take me?" I said with a chuckle.

**Edward's POV**

I'd had enough of these games. After this long of fighting a foe I don't know. I wasn't sure if he was a newborn, or just very strong, maybe as strong as Emmett.

_"I'm going to grab him, you unmask him."_ Emmett thought at me. I quickly made a small nod. I knew who ever he was, it couldn't be Mike. It just didn't line up. He'd changed so completely. Whoever this was posing as Mike I'd finally be able to stop holding back. Emmett appeared and put the mystery man in a full nelson. I grabbed at the mask while he squirmed for a moment and ripped it off.

? POV

I felt two cold arms restraining me for a moment. I tried to spin out of it but nothing doing. Edward reached forward and grabbed my mask ripping it off. I growled loudly as he gasped. I pulled both my arms down with all my strength, breaking Emmett's grip. I drilled my elbow back in to his ribs breaking a few. I spun and used a palm strike to his chin to stand him back up before push kicking him off the edge of the cliff in to the lake below. Realization dawned in his eyes, then horror. I started attacking, throwing a flurry of my best attacks, each blocked away by Edward, almost as if it was easy.

Edward's POV

Without stepping forward he pushed his body forward in a primal roar. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't fight him.

"Mike!" I called at him. He was only a couple feet away, I was hoping I could get through to him. He snarled at me. In a quick flurry of motion he hit me with the palm of his hand on my chest. Pain flourished in my chest. It was a bright hot feeling, excruciating. Possibly the most terrible pain I'd felt since I became a vampire. I stumbled back and looked down at my body. I couldn't see it but my shirt had a smoldering hole. Bella and Tanya both came to me and I saw Rosalie running out too. Bella wrapped her arms around me as I began to fall to the ground.

"Edward, Darling!" She yelled in shock. I forced a smile.

"Don't worry, I'll heal." I whispered quietly to her.

"I'll finish him." She said letting her vampiric side show. I grabbed on to her arm tightly.

"No… don't… you'll only make it worse… Tanya and Rosalie are the only two who can help him now… He's not thinking straight… He's a newborn. He's angry and vengeful… he's getting back at me for having Tanya's Affection, for hiding it from him… Once he ages he'll calm down, but you fighting will only make things worse. Please… stay with me." I said trying anything to keep Bella from Mike. I knew she couldn't possibly keep up with him.

"Okay dear… just relax." She said helping me down to a sitting position.

**Tanya's POV**

I ran between Edward and Mike seeing Bella was helping him. Mike's nose flared up in anger, his eyebrows lifting in betrayal. His arms were bent, hands clenched in to fists, his body rippling from his muscles flexing in anger. His mouth was open making a deep breathing noise in anger. He resembled a tiger about to pounce, just as fast… only as strong as a grizzly.

"You…still… pick… him." He hissed darkly. He was breathing out of his mouth like a salivating beast.

"No I don't, Mike, please listen to me." I pleaded

"You… betray… me." He said almost unable to contain his anger. Rosalie stepped between us. He reared back and roared at Rosalie, only a couple feet from him. She did the same in response roaring back at him. She matched him. He looked over his shoulder down the cliff to where Emmett was.

"Worried?" He asked, in reference to Emmett. He seemed to almost be enjoying himself.

"Nah, he's a big boy, he'll be fine… but you…" She faded off before her phone rang. She ignored it for a couple rings, then Edward's phone started ringing, and Bella's a second later. Mike eyed them suspiciously but didn't move. Edward finally picked up the phone.

"Yes, Carlisle?" He asked making sure not to wince.

"Xavier is here, he used Mike as a decoy." My eyes turned back to Mike. If possible it looked like he was angrier than before. He turned back to the cliff and started running. At the edge he leapt. I ran to the edge in disbelief as he landed clear on the opposite side of the lake, I knew I couldn't make that jump.

"Come on we need to get back to the house."

**Mike's POV**

_He betrayed me. He used me. He will pay. I will kill him. I will hunt him. I will have my revenge. I will maim him. I will break him. _I sprinted towards the Cullens mouth watering waiting for my revenge. _He betrayed me I would annihilate him. I will find and kill him. He changed me to use me. He did all of this to get to Embry. He used me, He ruined my life, his deaths won't be enough._

**Embry's POV**

"wakey wakey sleeping beauty." He called taunting me. A shiver rolled down my spine. I started making my way to the door. Alice stopped me.

"Don't, we just need to buy some time, I called Rosalie five minutes ago, it sounds like Mike is making his way here… he's a vampire… and he's not too happy about Xavier…" Alice said putting her cold hand out to stop me.

"Ahh, come on, aren't you going to let me in? That's not very hospitable of you, no, not very hospitable of you at all! It simply won't do!" He called. I looked Alice in the eye.

"I'm the only one who can delay him." She pulled herself to me in a tight hug as Jasper appeared at her side.

"If you're going to do this I'm not leaving your side." I nodded as we slowly walked outside.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen." Xavier said smiling evilly. Jasper growled at my side.

"And you brought you pets… how about you go tell them to go play fetch or something." Jasper tensed in anger next to me.

"Ahh shucks, you're not going to say anything… why not?" He asked as if he was innocent.

"Come on, I just was trying to get a little somethin' to eat." He said smiling.

"You tried to kill my ex." I said almost choking on the last word. I forced myself

"You say Potato, I say tasty meal…" He said shrugging it off.

"I warned you not to come after her." I said reminding him.

"Oh now, now. Where would the fun be if I just listened to you? No, it was much more fun to overcome you."

"You never overcame me." I said smirking.

"But don't you understand? That's the challenge! Oh how this epic tale will unfold! I simply can't wait." He said dramatically. I heard a thundering.

"Well I guess the cavalry is here… good show… good show." He said applauding. Mike came running in from the opening in the woods. He looked completely different. I barely had time to realize it was him before he swung wildly at Xavier from behind. Xavier easily ducked it then Mike turned around faster than I could see. His hand landed on Xavier's chest.

"Fuck you." He yelled. I saw a bright light then, a shot of something blue out of the other side of Xavier. Xavier staged back a couple feet and I could see a circular hole in his chest, roughly a foot in diameter. Xavier fell to his knees in weakness.

"Well… that was… unexpected." After he fell to his knees I saw Rosalie and Tanya at the edge of the woods, followed by Emmett, then Bella helping support Edward. I returned my eyes to Mike who was now standing with his hand on Xavier's forehead.

"This isn't over." Xavier said laughing. Mike smirked in response.

"I'll look forward to killing you again." Mike said before releasing an energy blast that disintegrated Xavier's head. After the blue energy blast faded away nothing remained of his head. What was left of his body went limp and fell to the ground.

"Mike!" Tanya called as she ran towards him.

"Don't follow me…" Mike said coldly before turning and leaving, at a pace I'd come to realize none of them could keep up with. Soon he disappeared. Tanya turned to follow him but Edward called to her.

"No, he wants to be alone, Tanya… he needs some time." Edward said trying not to wince in pain.

"No, he needs to know he's not a monster… He doesn't understand his power." She said before running off after Mike regardless of what Edward said. I watched her too disappear in to the distance.

**Tanya's POV**

I ran out in to the clearing and watched as an energy blast shot out of Xavier's back. I didn't understand until I saw Mike's hand through the smoking hole in Xavier. At that moment something became very clear. If Mike really wanted to kill Edward, he could have, that burn on his chest could have been a gaping hole if Mike wanted it to be. I watched as Xavier dropped to his knees. I saw Mike's hand glow with energy before Xavier's head disappeared in to a blast of energy. His eyes drifted up to mine and made contact for a moment. I saw what he was doing in his eyes. I could always read him.

"Mike!" I yelled as I started to sprint trying to stop him. He turned his back to me and looked at Embry almost as if seeing him for the first time.

"Don't follow me…" He said looking at me sternly, he turned and disappeared in to the north. His speed was breath taking. I turned to follow him but Edward stopped me.

"No, he wants to be alone, Tanya… he needs some time." Edward said to me hiding his own pain.

"No, He needs to know he's not a monster… He doesn't understand his power." Before I could hear his protests I turned and left, I wouldn't let him be alone, he wasn't a monster, I needed him to know it!

**Embry's POV**

Alice and Jasper were walking with me back to the bed. They took too good care of me. I was fine… I was just human. I knew I wasn't because I still didn't smell good to either of them. Alice stopped mid step. We turned back as she blanked out seeing the future. Jasper was at her side immediately feeling fear in her.

"What is it dear? What's wrong?" Jasper asked obviously worried. Alice came back to normal and fear crossed her face.

"They are coming… The Vulturi… they're coming."

**OH SNAP! Sorry had to. Well that is the end of this story, minus the epilogue. Yes that's the end of the story, and I'm not sorry, well I'm sorry to Fatallyyours and that weird ocean chick because they're the ones who've reviewed every chapter, to everyone else I don't mind that horrible cliff hanger I'm giving you! Now I'm going back and finishing up my second story, then my third, then I'll get jumped up to five because this is four. Thank you for reading, thank you for reviewing, I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed writing it, thanks for reading it. leave your comments, reviews, ideas, high fives, knucks, and rolls of twenty dollar bills in the review box. Catch ya on the flip side.**


	31. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: Hell, it's about time... you know I'm not Stephenie Meyer  
**

**Disclaimer Deuce: This story is done... took a bit longer than I thought but it's done  
**

** Tanya's POV**

I wouldn't give up on Mike. I would do whatever I had to do to help him. He lost his life, he never wanted to be a vampire like Bella, and in fact he didn't even chose this life if it meant eternity. I knew he loved me but he couldn't live without his family. Whether he wanted it or not didn't matter anymore. And I knew he missed his family, but even that feeling would be taken from him for a long time until this bloodlust was out of his veins. He hated himself, he hated all that he was right now, the only thing he hated more than himself was Xavier. I could see it in him, I knew it in him… he was me so long ago, before I understood what I was now. There was no going back. I didn't care how far he would run; as long as I could I would follow him. Right now he was just the beast he'd become, and deep down he was still Mike. I saw a glimpse of him right before he ran. Underneath the monster that annihilated a vampire in a manner of seconds was still the Mike I fell in love with. That one look was all I needed to know. I pressed on further not knowing when the end would come. I came to a clearing and his scent became very strong.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement then as I turned I was tackled by Mike. I pushed him over my body Judo throwing him away. I jumped up to my feet just in time to see him charging back at me. He attacked with a flurry of lightning fast punches and kicks. I looked deep in to his eyes they were a brown hue, between red and black. I realized quickly I wasn't holding out well. I sidestepped a punch then threw my leg forward past his and pulled back and put my hand on his neck sweeping him and slamming him to the ground. As he fell his eyes flared up as he grabbed my throat. He hit the ground then flipped backwards up to his feet dragging me along with him. He lifted me off the ground by the throat and I tried to break his grip but couldn't he was too strong. He ran me in to a tree destroying it then threw me across the opening.

He reared back then roared at me like he did to Edward and Rosalie previously. Rosalie had the correct response, the only way to prove yourself to a newborn was to show you weren't afraid of them you were as much a beast as they are. I took a deep breath then released the most feral roar I could muster. He growled quietly but he'd stopped fighting.

"Mike, come back with me." I asked him, almost begged him. He snarled at me showing no signs of the Mike I was looking for. He growled at me trying to get me to leave.

"You don't scare me Mike, stop trying to." His nostrils flared up in anger.

"I… should…" he said struggling to speak clearly. I growled back at him not backing down.

"I saw what you did to Xavier. You could have easily killed me by now… no I know, you're in there Mike, and I'm not giving up on me." His eyes softened for a moment before his anger took over again.

"You… should… don't…. follow… me…" He said struggling before turning and sprinting away. I watched him leave. _No Mike, I won't give up on you._ I reached in to my pocket and flipped out my cell phone and dialed Kate.

"Hey Tanya, how's Mike?" she asked trying to be hopeful.

"He's not doing good, but no worse than could be expected… I need Garrett's help."

"Okay... I'll talk to him… good luck."

"Thanks." _I'm going to need it._

**Embry's POV**

It'd been a day since Alice told us the Vulturi were coming. We contacted the La Push tribe and the Werebears as well as the Minnesota wolves, all were on their way to help us, despite the danger. One thing I couldn't put my finger on is why, why was the Vulturi coming now. I looked back at my son Ayden. _No, they aren't coming for him._ Edward appeared at my side.

"They are coming for Destiny, we aren't changing her, and that is in violation of their law." Edward explained. I didn't know it but I understood. I walked out to the deck then looked over my shoulder towards D.

"Then this is my responsibility." I said firmly. Carlisle appeared at my side. Edward had returned to spend time with Layla his granddaughter. I pulled my shirt off, and felt a cold chill from the icy wind and the cold. Leah ran out to my side.

"Embry, you're not going to phase! You're body… you don't know what will happen!" She said pleading with me.

"It doesn't matter… This is my fault, I brought D in to all this, this is all because of D, this is my job, I won't sit this out, no matter the cost." I said staring Leah in the eye.

"No, it isn't your _fault_, you saved her life! Don't be stupid!" She wrapped her arms around me tightly, much tighter than I could force out, she was still the wolf and I was just the human, I didn't even compare it her. The heat was welcome since my body was freezing out here.

"Jacob!" I yelled. He ran outside. I knew he heard everything.

"Jacob, pull her off me." I commanded. He listened forcibly removing Leah. She fought his grip venomously.

"Damn it Jacob, let go!" She said struggling against him but Jacob was much stronger than Leah.

"It's his choice… I can't stop him and neither can you." He said with regret in his voice.

"I can sure as hell try, and damn it, I will stop him!" Leah said defiantly.

"Do you think I want Embry to risk his life to become a wolf again?" he said painfully. Leah stopped struggling.

"Embry… please… don't." Leah said looking as if she might cry.

"If you do this you know the pain will be excruciating." Carlisle explained. I shrugged nonchalantly.

"Come on, it can't be that bad." I said nonchalantly. My focus turned back to Leah who looked deeply concerned.

"I'm sorry Leah, but this is something I must do." I said firmly. I clenched both my fists and then tightened my body, focusing on anger, love, panic, any strong emotion I could muster. I felt the anger slowly rising through my body and I felt a slightly warm feeling slinking up my spine. I took a deep breath and yelled in anger. Soon I felt pain, unbearable pain, but I couldn't fall to my knees, I was unable, I had to stand through it. first it shot up my spine, then down my legs and arms, then through my chest, stomach, stomach, and face. When this pain has spread to every part of my body I realized I was growing. I felt the familiar burn of phasing running over my body, as I tried to stifle tears of pain coming down my eyes from the heat I was feeling all over me. As if I was pushing against a locked door for so long but it never opened, then finally I flew through it, I felt my body phase completely.

Before my front paws hit the ground I felt my body giving out. I was phasing out. I didn't ask to do this, I didn't want to phase out I wanted to run! Everything was becoming blurry too quickly. My eyesight was getting blurry, then nothing.

**Leah's POV**

Embry was yelling at the top of his lungs trying to phase. All I could do was watch in horror. Jacob still hadn't released me, but I stopped struggling, until now when I renewed my fight against his arms.

"You'll only get yourself killed if you get too close to him when he phases." I stopped struggling knowing he was right. He was growing. _Oh no! Something's wrong!_ He wasn't growing a couple inches, he was growing back to his size when he was bit. He finally stopped growing when he looked to be the size of Jacob, it was how he was. His body it seemed was returned to its state before he was bit. Any excitement I might have had at this revelation was extinguished by the look on his face. His face contorted in utter pain. Tears were forming in his eyes. Finally he became a wolf, he back legs on the ground, as his front legs fell to catch him he phased back to his human form. His eyes went blank and I watched in horror as he fell flat on his face. Jacob finally released me and I ran to pick him up, yeah he was much heavier than before. I felt his heart beating. I picked him up and walked in to the house to place him on the bed. Embry was back.

**Wow, this 'book' is finished… but is the story ever really over? Is any story ever over? I don't like the concept of writing a story then finishing it with 'and they lived happily ever after' so nothing significant happened after the original story? That's a pretty sucky life if you ask me. Well you didn't ask me so eh. Well I hoped you enjoyed it, review please. Thanks for reading, remember, high fives, knucks, reviews, and rolls of twenty dollar bills. Catch ya on the flip side.**


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